Many people in the United States are celebrating Easter over the weekend despite the coronavirus crisis that has hit the country hard. Former President Barack Obama wished everyone a Happy Easter over the weekend on social media.
CNN reports that the former president along with former First Lady Michelle Obama shared their well-wishes to the Americans who are celebrating Easter despite the pandemic that has forced people to stay indoors. “Although our celebrations may look different this year, our unwavering faith remains the same. For me, Easter is a time of hope – a reminder of rebirth and renewal – and a belief in a better day to come. From my family to yours, we wish you all a blessed and joyful Easter,” tweeted Obama.
Michelle shared her well-wishes on Instagram. “As many of us celebrate Easter and Passover during this time of physical distancing, I know that we may be missing the togetherness and traditions we shared in years past. This year I’ve been feeling a newfound sense of gratitude for all the little moments I used to take for granted,” wrote the former First Lady, who also asked her followers what their favorite traditions are and how they plan on continuing them in the midst of the extended social distancing period.
Obama has mainly been silent regarding discussions of politics, especially as his former colleague Joe Biden is running for President as the presumptive Democratic nominee. Especially in the aspects of the government’s response to the pandemic, which has since been criticized left and right, Obama did not weigh in on their efforts until recently. Obama urged state mayors and governors to speak the truth regarding the current situation.
The former president joined Bloomberg Philanthropies in an online discussion in the COVID19 Local Response Initiative, where he urged the state officials to speak the truth and stressed not to misinform the public. “Speak the truth. Speak it clearly. Speak it with compassion. Speak it with empathy for what folks are going through. The biggest mistake any of us can make in these situations is to misinform, particularly when we’re requiring people to make sacrifices and take actions that might not be their natural inclination,” said Obama.