“Those of us who are not African American will never fully understand the experience of being black in America. But we should all understand why our fellow Americans in the black community are angry at the images of an African American man, with no criminal record, who was pulled over for a busted tail light, slumped in his car seat and dying while his four year old daughter watches from the back seat.

“All of us should be troubled by these images. And all of us need to acknowledge that this is about more than just one or two recent incidents.

“The fact is that there are communities in America where black families tell us that they are fearful of interacting with their local law enforcement. How they feel is a reality that we cannot and should not ignore. And as we work through this it will require us to ask and to answer some very difficult and uncomfortable questions.

“By the same token, all Americans, in every community should accept and openly admit that the overwhelming majority of the men and women who serve us in law enforcement in our communities are among the very best that our country has to offer. These men and women are the thin blue line standing between us and danger.