The mothers of Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner and Mike Brown discussed the racial inequities young black men face against the police.
CNN's Anderson Cooper spoke with the mothers this weekend. Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin explained that the problem with police and African Americans has less to do with right and wrong and more about the perception other races have against African Americans. Fulton, who has continued to honor her son by calling the police force out for brutality, says misconceptions and fear have driven people to have an inaccurate portrayal of African Americans.
The women agreed their sons might be alive today if they were white.
"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," Fulton said." In all of these cases, these victims were unarmed. These victims were African-American. That needs to be our conversation."
Eric Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, sided with Fulton and claimed if the father of six was white, his fate would be different from today.
"They would have given him a summons and he wouldn't have lost his life that day." she said.
Fulton says change has come from within the communities. She also expressed her disappointment in people who view them in a negative light. Fulton explains they aren't complaining about the police or government, but simply telling the world their story.
"It's not happening to them, so they don't quite get it," she said. "They don't quite understand. They think that it's a small group of African-Americans that's complaining. ...The people say that all the time: 'What are they complaining about now? What are they protesting about now? Until it happens to them and in their family then they'll understand the walk. They don't understand what we're going through. They don't understand the life and they don't understand what we're fighting against. I don't even think the government quite gets it."
Source: CNN
