Kamala Harris, the Junior Senator from California announced her candidacy for President of the United States January 21 on Good Morning America and is already facing opposition from both sides especially from critics who don't think she's strong enough to be president.
Kamala Harris succeeded retiring Senator Barbara Boxer in 2016 becoming the State's third female senator and the first Senator of both Jamaican and Indian origin. Mom was Indian and dad was Jamaican. A former attorney, Harris was California's two-time Attorney General after being working in both the City Attorney and the District Attorney's office.
During her time as both a civil servant for both the city of San Francisco and the Senate, Mrs. Harris took a stance on many issues. Some were popular while others not only controversial but enough to question her qualifications for president. While her stances on Disaster Relief, Education and even the Environment are on an even playing field with a lot of her base, issues like the Death Penalty, Gun Control and Health Care have many scratching their heads and even dividing most people on the Junior Senator.
A poll was put out on Facebook in which I asked several people how do they feel.
Jackie M answered about her candidacy, " I don't think America is ready and she's going to get dragged through the media mud. She'll have it a million times harder then Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. African American and a woman, this racist, divided states of America can't handle it."
With the country even more divided by race with the election of Donald Trump, many would think the country is ready for a Kamala Harris even after electing Barack Obama in 2008 and again in 2012. However, even despite being one of the country (and even the world's) most admired presidents, Obama also had his share of critics across the racial spectrum from his fellow African-Americans to the least to most racist whites.
African-Americans saw him too soft or nonexistent on black issues while whites still pondered why he's even in the White House at all. Kamala being a black female with Indian roots makes her a target due to not only her race but to others' ignorance of her heritage. Today many still believe those from India are terrorists or support terrorism. In reality, her mother was a scientist in the field of cancer research.
One of her earlier biggest controversies was when she was San Francisco's District Attorney in 2004. A true opponent of the death penalty, her job was tested when SFPD Officer Isaac Espinoza was murdered and she would not see the death penalty for the assailant. This not only sparked controversy with the San Francisco Police Officer's Association but also with popular then California Senator Diane Feinstein and her followers as well.
She was able to make her point by explaining the money ramifications of the death penalty to her critics, especially the San Francisco PD. She explained that life in prison is much more cost effective than the death penalty. Using data from the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice, the death penalty costs $137 million. Life without the possibility of parole would be $12 million dollars in which he savings could put 1100 more San Francisco officers on the street. Eventually the death penalty in California was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. District Court.
Bobby B. of Facebook supports the idea of a possible Kamala Harris run, "Support the sister and give her a chance. we need to get behind our sisters and stop saying that she's not qualified. black people need to stop with the bull of knocking our own people down. we're the only race that don't support our own and yet, we're the first to always say buy black, support our people. well here's the chance to do just that, support the sister or anyone of our people that plans on running against the fool. you'll never see his people not support him, hell they support him even when they know he's lying. she knows she has a tough battle ahead of her, let's not make it any tougher by not supporting her or throwing negative shade her way. RUN KAMALA RUN!"
Bobby's point is that African-Americans always say let's support African-Americans but when it comes to actually supporting, many still fail to do so.
"She isn't ready and lack presidential qualifications. She needs more time to get ready. Of all those that have announced will not win. Lacks qualifications," another Facebook user said about her after the announcement.
All of the points mentions should be researched before you make a decision I remember having a similar argument about a then candidate Barack Obama after he won Iowa January 3, 2008. Many thought he wasn't qualified and he had to be heard in campaign speeches and debates in order to be taken seriously as a candidate." A Facebook user stated.
What many fail to realize is Kamala even has a foreign policy stance as well. She has spoken out about the trouble in Syria and North Korea and has actually made bigger stance on various nuclear programs. Foreign policy you learn on the job. George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama didn't have a lot of foreign policy experience either and Jimmy Carter had even less foreign policy experience.
"We saw this country's racist reaction to Obama's successful presidency. I don't think this country will give her a chance. It's too soon after Obama. I think that whatever Democrat wins, she should try to be Secretary of State, and get some foreign policy experience for a future run," another Facebook User said.
What will make a good president would be how much they adapt to the culture of the country. Barack Obama had to adapt to a lot because being the "first black president" there was no playbook and he had to be presidential despite the culture unlike a president who rants on social media every time he gets upset.
There's even controversy about what music Kamala Harris listens to. Okay she's a Cardi B. fan which makes her a normal human being. Normal human being in the sense that she listens to music she loves and doesn't have to pretend to be something she isn't in order to be seen. Okay, Cardi B. lyrics aside Kamala Harris listens to what she likes. I like down to earth people as my president. That's who's really in touch.
No matter whether you like Kamala Harris or not, please do your research on her and any other future presidential candidate before you make your decision. Please research also to keep doubt and fear out of your mind too. Support the candidates you like and don't judge them harshly, too early.
To learn more about Kamala Harris log on to www.kamalaharris.org
*All photos courtesy of Kamala Harris' Facebook Page