This past Thursday at 8:00 p.m., President Obama participated in a Disney Media Networks town hall titled, “The President and the People: A National Conversation." With the recent tragedies in Minneapolis, Baton Rouge, and Dallas still in the headlines and on the minds of American’s around the nation, President Obama arrived to answer the questions so many of us want to ask. This town hall was moderated by “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir and was held in Washington D.C. The focus of this discussion was on race relations, justice, policing, and equality by the members of the community.

I am not one to normally get involved in political avenues. I do not keep up with presidential speeches or the goings on of the government. As I am entering my adulthood, I realize I should gain more of an interest in what is happening politically around me. But, I’ll save that discussion for a different day. Tonight, I was watching television when a show began. It happened to be the President's response to the current state of our nation and the divisions we are feeling. President Obama arrived in front of the Nation on abcNEWS to answer questions of those who have been closely involved with the loss of loved ones both police officers and civilians. Many questions were asked of President Obama on what he is going to do in response to all that has happened in the last week. I was too lazy to get up and changed the channel, so I watched and slowly got sucked into focusing on what President Obama was saying. As I watched, I was almost less than pleased and almost upset at the way President Obama addressed the situation and the questions at hand. Now, I am all for a little humor to lighten the mood. Laughter is normally the best medicine in some situations. I also believe that there is a time and a place for everything, and a topic as sensitive as the confusion America is facing today is no place for jokes.

President Obama was asked by a mother of a police officer what is being done to protect police officers like her son who face violence during times like these. President goes on to answer her question and says,

"First of all, I think you should feel proud because he is a public servant, and he sounds like a wonderful man, and he is doing the right thing. I have to say, I was surprised that you actually have a son who is old enough to be a police officer, but that’s a whole other topic."

Members of the audience found this funny, and some chuckled at the President's crack at humor, but I did not. I was almost appalled for her. Here is this mom fearful for her son's life as a police officer and when she has the opportunity to address the President about it, he cracks a joke? As I watched, I did not feel that President Obama really answered her question. He, however, did have very wise words to say about violence. “There are no excuses for any kind of violent responses.” President Obama discussed the counter productiveness of violence and went on to share stories, and hit home that there need’s to be more of an emphasis on creating healthy communities and these communities need to stand up for the police officers who serve and protect their community. I agreed with these points but was left confused as to what his answer was to this mother’s question. What can be done to help ensure the safety of the police officers that risk their lives to ensure the safety of those in their communities?

President Obama was also addressed by the Lieutenant Governor of the Dallas Police Department on the support of police officers. The Lieutenant’s main concern was that police officers around the nation do not feel the full support of President Obama when it comes to their own safety and providing them with the means for protection and or training that is needed. He also brought up the fact that the President had not turned on the blue lights in support of the fallen officers and the attack on police officers as he had for the tragedies in Paris and for the LGBTQ community. As the President attempted to respond, he discussed that recent data has shown that across any situation involving police there are and will be racial discrepancies and took a tangent off of that point. President Obama did not directly address the Lieutenant’s question with a sufficient answer. After he spoke, I felt myself that police departments are not well supported by our government, or even have the heartfelt support of our President. Obama did not say why the lights had not been turned on in support of Blue lives, but I am almost surprised that they were not. If we can light up our nation's capitol with the colors of another countries flag after a tragedy struck, and in the rainbow for the struggle of the gay community, why have we not lit the White House blue for the lives of the police officers during this tragedy?

During President Obama’s response, he had made the comment that “It is better today than it use to be.” I want to ask, is it really? Better today? In my lifetime? Maybe I didn’t pay enough attention when I was younger, or I was too busy growing up to see, but from my recollection from the 90’s until now, it has only gotten worse. The world today is not at all what it was when I was a child, but I would never say it is better today than it was when I was younger. I see more heartache, more tragedy, more hate and separation today than I have experienced in the 23 years I have lived. Mr. President, maybe the ways of this nation have become better throughout your lifetime, but through my eyes, it is only getting worse and I am not alone in seeing that vision.

When the session came to a close, I was left with more questions than answers. I felt a very unsatisfied feeling and that there was no stated action for progress or solution to the confusion and struggle we are facing today as a nation. I did not feel, as a nation, we were supported or lead to becoming united, nor did I feel that those who work to protect us were supported either. Where was the support? Where was the action plan? Where was the leadership we desperately need as a nation to prevent and resolve these conflicts? I felt no sense of security, action, or hope after listening to President Obama address the situation at hand.

Although I do not agree with the way President Obama handled this topic and discussion and was not satisfied with his responses his speech did contain a few valid points which I did agree with.

“Real change . . . at the local level”

President Obama emphasized real change cannot be fulfilled by speaking alone. He discussed that change has to happen within our communities and at the local level between civilians and the police departments.

“See each other as one family.”

This point I agree with wholeheartedly. As a nation, we should be looking out for each other as if we were one family. This is our home, we should protect it and each other. President Obama shared that his hope is that we can join together and recognize each other’s loss and mourn these tragedies together. That the lives of police officers and the lives of the victims of police shooting can be equally understood and mourned in one another’s shared loss.

"My hope is that out of the tragedies that happened and my hope is that we are able to see each other as one family, that the mom of a police officer who is killed and the mom of an individual who is killed by a police officer, they have both lost a son." - President Obama

Watch the full video here and see what you think.

My hope is that our nation heals together as one as we realize the difficult conversations that we need to have and the actions that need to take place in response to these recent tragedies.