Michelle Obama fears for daughters in America

“I worry about what assumption is being made by somebody who doesn’t know everything about them,” the former first lady said of Malia, 22, and Sasha, 19, in an interview being given to CBS news.

“The fact that they are good students and polite girls but maybe they’re playing their music a little loud, maybe somebody sees the back of their head and makes an assumption,” Obama continued in a preview clip of the interview released Friday.

She said that the simple act of getting a driver’s license is enough to put fear in the heart of African American parents.

Obama’s comments about her daughters’ safety came after she explained why she and husband former President Barack Obama felt compelled to speak out publicly about the issue following the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.

 In a statement, the couple welcomed the verdict but said “true justice requires that we come to terms with the fact that Black Americans are treated differently, every day” and “requires us to recognize that millions of our friends, family, and fellow citizens live in fear that their next encounter with law enforcement could be their last.”

Obama also commended the Black Lives Matter protesters, whose message spread nationwide in the wake of Floyd’s killing last May.

“They are taking to the streets because they have to,” she said. “They’re trying to have people understand that we’re real folks and the fear that many have of so many of us is irrational. And it’s based on a history that is just … sad and it’s dark. And it’s time for us to move beyond that.”