Recently, the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and Michael Brown sat down with Anderson Cooper on Anderson Cooper 360.
Three poignant clips, found here on Vibe, show the mothers sitting together for the first time since the deaths of their sons at the hands of three white policemen (and one white neighborhood watchperson). As reported here by CNN, the mothers asserted that had their sons been white, they would still be alive today. When Anderson Cooper cites poll results suggesting that most Americans are not of the mindset that the killings have been racially charged, the women argue that white people do not have to think about this issue in their lives. Marx raised a similar point in relation to labor division. The “have-nots” will always be more conscious of the “haves’” access to wealth, but this is not as apparent to the “haves”. In essence, privilege is more visible to those who do not benefit from it.
The mothers’ tones unwavering despite their grief, their messages were not those of anger. They challenged the perception reflected in the polls, saying that the protests, rallies, and marches that have sprung up in cities across the US have been comprised of people of all races, showing that this is not just the African American community’s issue; it is a human rights issue.
By Jenny Nigro – M.O.M. online intern