Vice President Kamala Harris has been quite the buzz since President Biden dropped out of the presidential race and called on her to become the Democratic presidential nominee. Kamala Harris stepped up immediately and pledged to work for our votes.
The floodgates opened. $200 million in donations poured in during the first week; 66% were from first time contributors.
Harris has taken a back stage to Biden, as vice presidents are expected to do. So, why all the excitement and disdain ? There seems to be many reasons, including she’s black, she is Southeast Asian and a woman. People judge her on these unalterable realities alone, positively and negatively.
In 2019, when she first announced her presidential run, racist and sexualized rhetoric went viral on social media platforms and now, the vitriol has escalated.
Conversely, her presence gives joy and a voice to millions of underrepresented segments of the U.S. population, including the majority of Americans — women. It is remarkable, only 28 women worldwide currently serve as heads of state and/or government. Millions of women here and around the globe have not been at the head of a table — let alone the head of state, including the United States.
Kamala Harris declared immediately she intended to earn and win the votes of the American people to be the Democratic presidential nomination. Her charisma, strength of character and wide experience makes her a strong candidate to win the presidency — being a woman and a person of color only enhances my joy in voting for her.
Growing up Catholic in metro Detroit, I learned to do my best to live the teachings of Jesus, particularly, the two greatest commandments: to love your God wholeheartedly and love your neighbor as yourself. Judaism, Hinduism and the Islamic religion hold similar tenets. It’s a monumental task to follow this ancient wisdom but it’s bedrock for people of faith.
The Republican presidential candidate campaigns on being a Christian, but his message is quite the opposite. He targets people of faith for their vote but his rhetoric is uncharitable and disrespectful. It doesn’t call for unity. It doesn’t strengthen government, fix crime and cyberattacks , fix poverty or pollution, fix schools or borders, fix health care or mental illness or protect police and national security.
Instead, it’s another campaign tool, like holding up and selling Bibles. Shamelessly, the former president campaigned last Sunday on these words, 'Christians get out there and vote. I love you Christians. I’m a Christian. You won’t have to vote in four years because I will fix it . You won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.' This is insulting and scary.
Our political and civic leaders do not need to be religious but they do need to uphold the core values of the United States encapsulated in our founding principles and Constitution — for the preservation of democracy.
Trump claims, 'I alone can fix it'. The southern border is in need of a fix. A solution to the border doesn’t start with calling Mexicans rapists and drug dealers or by rejecting bipartisan border legislation because it didn’t happen on his watch. Our Republic hinges on cooperation in government, not a lone wolf.
The United States is not going backwards. Women are not going back with fewer rights over their own health care. LGBTQ+ aren’t going back to lose their freedom to love whom they choose because of unfounded political lies of predation and converting children.
The choice for President is about character which is not a given in this election. Common decency, preserving our freedom and the Constitutional Republic are on the ballot. Reject bullying, lying and lawlessness. Vice President Kamala Harris has the strength, character and competency to lead this great nation. Put this woman in charge.
—Sharon McNeil, IHM Associate, lives in Monroe MI and is a member of Stronger Together Huddle, a group engaged in supporting and promoting the common good. She can be reached at mcneil102@icloud.com.
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