"My son’s race and the color of his skin had a lot to do with why he was shot and killed"
In a CNN exclusive interview, on Friday evening Anderson Cooper welcomed four women, all of whom are mothers grieving for a lost son.
Though the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and Tamir Rice were different, there existed one constant: in each case the victim was a black male, and perceived to be a threat.
Asked if things might have been different were her son white, and Sybrina Fulton didn't hesitate:
"It’s an easy question for us, I think absolutely my son’s race and the color of his skin had a lot to do with why he was shot and killed," said Trayvon Martin's mom.
Watch the above clip for more of Fulton's response, as well as the answer from Tamir Rice's mother, Samaria.
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Post by: AC360 Filed under: Eric Garner • Ferguson • Michael Brown • Tamir Rice • Trayvon Martin |
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SHOT WHILE SHOPPING??? Who are you kidding? The man was wandering around the Walmart with a gun, talking on a phone–not "shopping." And they're going to sue Wal-Mart (the deep pocket) because the guy could get to a pellet gun? If there was no ammunition, why would the pellet gun need to be locked away? PLEASE put me on the jury!
I was 18 yrs old and working at my first job in retail, selling cosmetics to be exact in a large dept store. two young black nicely dressed men walked up to the perfume counter, and all the women and girls walked away and said 'you serve them' to me, I asked why and the said 'because we are afraid! I helped the boys to select a fragrance which they purchased. I was stunned, that people held those views, that bias was so ingrained, that no one saw their behaviour as problematic. I was too young and in shock to speak up! This is the world we live in, the people who 'we' denied jobs, denied housing, denied an education, and denied the vote, the most marginalized people, we suppressed them and then claim it is we who fear!. Maybe they are the ones who should fear us?