Former President Barack Obama delivered a strong message to President Donald Trump — and the nation — in his eulogy for civil rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson in Chicago on Friday.
The celebration of life for Jackson, who died on Feb. 17 at age 84, included thousands of people at the House of Hope in Chicago. Obama, a close friend of Jackson, was one of several notable speakers and performers to take the stage, and took a moment during his speech to describe what Jackson meant to him, his legacy and important work.
Without naming Trump directly, Obama criticized the president — describing the current state of leadership in the United States and how Jackson's commitment to democracy has been tested. Obama argued that it mattered to continue Jackson's message of hope.
"We are living in a time when it can be hard to hope," Obama said. "Each day we wake up to some new assault on our democratic institutions, another setback to the idea of the rule of law, an offense to common decency — every day you wake up to — to things you just didn't think were possible."
"Each day we're told by those in high office to fear each other, and to turn on each other, and that some Americans count more than others and that some don't even count at all," he said. "Everywhere we see greed and bigotry being celebrated, and bullying and mockery masquerading as strength, we see science and expertise denigrated while ignorance and dishonesty and cruelty and corruption are reaping untold rewards every day — every single day we see that — and it's hard to hope in those moments. So it may be tempting to get discouraged, to give into cynicism, it may be tempting for some to compromise with power and grab what you can, or even for good people, to even just put your head down and wait for the storm to pass."
Obama praised Jackson's example and urged people to fight for a better future.
"But this man, Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, inspires us to take a harder path," Obama said. "His voice calls on each of us to be heralds of change, to be messengers of hope, to step forward and say 'send me.' Wherever we have a chance to make an impact, whether it's in our school, or our workplace or our cities, not for fame, not for glory, or because success is guaranteed, but because it gives our life purpose, because it aligns with what our faith tells us God demands. And because if we don't step up, no one else will. How fortunate we were that Jesse Jackson answered that call. What a great debt we owe to him."