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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Obama urges 'new black mindset' | Obama urges 'new black mindset' |
| (3 days later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has told America's oldest civil rights organisation that African Americans should take charge of their own lives. | US President Barack Obama has told America's oldest civil rights organisation that African Americans should take charge of their own lives. |
| He told the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) there were "no excuses" for minority children not to succeed. | He told the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) there were "no excuses" for minority children not to succeed. |
| Mr Obama's comments came in a speech at a dinner marking the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. | Mr Obama's comments came in a speech at a dinner marking the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. |
| It is his first speech focusing on race since he became US president. | It is his first speech focusing on race since he became US president. |
| The BBC's Jon Donnison in Washington says the tone of the speech was passionate, even preacher-like. | The BBC's Jon Donnison in Washington says the tone of the speech was passionate, even preacher-like. |
| "Make no mistake: The pain of discrimination is still felt in America," Mr Obama told the NAACP members gathered for the anniversary dinner in New York. | "Make no mistake: The pain of discrimination is still felt in America," Mr Obama told the NAACP members gathered for the anniversary dinner in New York. |
| He said discrimination was still felt by minorities in the US, including African Americans, Latinos, Muslim Americans and gay people. | He said discrimination was still felt by minorities in the US, including African Americans, Latinos, Muslim Americans and gay people. |
| But he told the NAACP members they had to take responsibility for their lives and their communities. | But he told the NAACP members they had to take responsibility for their lives and their communities. |
| No one has written your destiny for you - your destiny is in your hands Barack Obama | No one has written your destiny for you - your destiny is in your hands Barack Obama |
| "Government programmes alone won't get our children to the promised land - we need a new mindset, a new set of attitudes," he said. | "Government programmes alone won't get our children to the promised land - we need a new mindset, a new set of attitudes," he said. |
| The president said African American communities had "internalised a set of limitations" and "come to expect so little from the world and from ourselves". | The president said African American communities had "internalised a set of limitations" and "come to expect so little from the world and from ourselves". |
| But he said African American children should instead aspire to be scientists, engineers, Supreme Court judges and presidents. | But he said African American children should instead aspire to be scientists, engineers, Supreme Court judges and presidents. |
| "We have to say to our children: 'Yes, if you're African-American, the odds of growing up amid crime and gangs are higher. Yes, if you live in a poor neighbourhood, you will face challenges that someone in a wealthy suburb does not.' | "We have to say to our children: 'Yes, if you're African-American, the odds of growing up amid crime and gangs are higher. Yes, if you live in a poor neighbourhood, you will face challenges that someone in a wealthy suburb does not.' |
| "But that's not a reason to get bad grades, that's not a reason to cut class, that's not a reason to give up on your education and drop out of school," he said. | "But that's not a reason to get bad grades, that's not a reason to cut class, that's not a reason to give up on your education and drop out of school," he said. |
| "No one has written your destiny for you - your destiny is in your hands. You cannot forget that, that's what we have to teach our children." | "No one has written your destiny for you - your destiny is in your hands. You cannot forget that, that's what we have to teach our children." |
| Mr Obama also said he wanted to see a return to strong parenting and adults taking responsibility for the discipline of all children in their community. | Mr Obama also said he wanted to see a return to strong parenting and adults taking responsibility for the discipline of all children in their community. |
| He drew on his own experiences of growing up with a single mother, praising her for giving him "the chance to make the most of life". | He drew on his own experiences of growing up with a single mother, praising her for giving him "the chance to make the most of life". |