Kamala Harris Election Campaign

[Stacyhs]

Slavery isn't the problem. It's the post slavery regime of segregation and discrimination that really matters. And it's exactly that regime that Harris and her parents never experienced.

You really need to stop digging. You're outdumbing your own posts.

 

[acbytesla]

Weren't Caribbean Americans originally brought from Africa on the same slave ships as African Americans?

Many were, but also there were indigenous tribes and people of European ancestry. She is likely to a mutt. Someone of African, Native and European ancestry.

While you often can tell someone's heritage by their skin color and other physical traits, you often can't. My nephew and niece have an African American father. A man with incredibly dark skin and that frizzy hair that is common. But my nephew has lighter skin than me and freckles. Nobody would think he's African American. My neice kind of looks African American, but you might also guess Mexican or Native American. And she is neither.

 

[Stacyhs]

Many were, but also there were indigenous tribes and people of European ancestry. She is likely to a mutt. Someone of African, Native and European ancestry.

While you often can tell someone's heritage by their skin color and other physical traits, you often can't. My nephew and niece have an African American father. A man with incredibly dark skin and that frizzy hair that is common. But my nephew has lighter skin than me and freckles. Nobody would think he's African American. My neice kind of looks African American, but you might also guess Mexican or Native American. And she is neither.

It all depends on which genes you inherit. It's like two brown-eyed parents who each have a recessive blue eye gene have a 25% of having a blue-eyed child.

 

[acbytesla]

Slavery isn't the problem. It's the post slavery regime of segregation and discrimination that really matters. And it's exactly that regime that Harris and her parents never experienced.

You really need to stop digging. You're outdumbing your own posts.

I think he stopped and got another shovel.

What I wonder about Republicans is, why are they blowing this dog whistle? Do they really think they can turn around the African American enthusiasm for Harris? Or are they seriously attempting a clarion call to White Nationalism?

If you have spent much time around African American people and their culture you would understand that the he/she doesn't look black doesn't work with them. In particular If it is brought up by someone white. People of color are use to that kind of bigotry.

This is about bringing out the inner bigotry of white people.

 

[acbytesla]

It all depends on which genes you inherit. It's like two brown-eyed parents who each have a recessive blue eye gene have a 25% of having a blue-eyed child.

It's not just genes, it's temperature, sunlight, RNA etc. You might have a gene for dark skin but if you're living in a higher lattitude, it might not be activated. The more they study genetics and heritable traits, the more they realize there is more to it than genes.

 

[jimbob]

Slavery isn't the problem. It's the post slavery regime of segregation and discrimination that really matters. And it's exactly that regime that Harris and her parents never experienced.

The thing is that although Slavery was banned in the British Empire before it was banned in the US, the British Empire was still racist and even in Jamaica, upto independence, there was racial discrimination against blacks.

 

[rdwight]

There is a small percentage of black Americans that specifically identify only native blacks with lineage from America as black. It's doubtful trump is specifically targeting them but it is not some wild idea from nowhere. The more likely approach is simply to highlight her flippant position on everything. When she finally has to cement her policy ideas they will expand on it. The longer she is kept from long form interviews and debates, the better for her campaign.

 

[acbytesla]

There is a small percentage of black Americans that specifically identify only native blacks with lineage from America as black. It's doubtful trump is specifically targeting them but it is not some wild idea from nowhere.

It's unlikely it's anything other than another tired worn out dog whistle. Trump is bigoted against blacks, indigenous peoples and anyone other than Caucasians. Trump has a long history of closet and not so closeted bigotry. His real estate company wouldn't rent to people of color. Trump made up nonsense about Obama's heritage. It's no surprise he is attempting to do the same with Harris.

The more likely approach is simply to highlight her flippant position on everything. When she finally has to cement her policy ideas they will expand on it. The longer she is kept from long form interviews and debates, the better for her campaign.

Nonsense. Harris is excellent on the issues. Something Trump is terrible with. What Trump does is LIE, LIE, LIE, and insult others or speaking in sweeping generalities.

If Trump is a better debater than why did he run away from the debate?

 

[Gulliver Foyle]

Not stupid at all. Something I'm sure many African American voters are already well aware of.

It's always funny looking at the far right trying to convince themselves that they are smart.

 

[Gulliver Foyle]

Many were, but also there were indigenous tribes and people of European ancestry. She is likely to a mutt. Someone of African, Native and European ancestry.

While you often can tell someone's heritage by their skin color and other physical traits, you often can't. My nephew and niece have an African American father. A man with incredibly dark skin and that frizzy hair that is common. But my nephew has lighter skin than me and freckles. Nobody would think he's African American. My neice kind of looks African American, but you might also guess Mexican or Native American. And she is neither.

The indigenous people were very quickly wiped out in the Caribbean, before there was really a chance to start intermixing. The lack of anybody to do the work on the islands was why the Spanish introduced the slave trade to the Americas.

 

[Pixel42]

It's always been my understanding that, in a country composed almost entirely of people whose ancestors arrived there in the relatively recent past, the adjective preceding American was simply used to indicate what part of the world those ancestors originally hailed from. So Irish American, Italian American etc. Why on earth would African American be different?

 

[Gulliver Foyle]

It's always been my understanding that, in a country composed almost entirely of people whose ancestors arrived there in the relatively recent past, the adjective preceding American was simply used to indicate what part of the world those ancestors originally hailed from. So Irish American, Italian American etc. Why on earth would African American be different?

Because it's the latest wheese of the far right pretending not to be racist.

 

[Norman Alexander]

It's always been my understanding that, in a country composed almost entirely of people whose ancestors arrived there in the relatively recent past, the adjective preceding American was simply used to indicate what part of the world those ancestors originally hailed from. So Irish American, Italian American etc. Why on earth would African American be different?

What colour is an Afrikaans immigrant, usually? Or a Rhodesian?

 

[varwoche]

Not stupid at all. Something I'm sure many African American voters are already well aware of.

Aware she's "doing black face"? Here, I'll write a memo to her on your behalf...

Memo to Harris: Despite that the Caribbean region is generally considered part of the Americas, you must identify as One Half African-Carribean-American otherwise you're doing black face.​

It's takes some doing for a Trump synchophant to achieve new lows.

 

[rdwight]

It's unlikely it's anything other than another tired worn out dog whistle. Trump is bigoted against blacks, indigenous peoples and anyone other than Caucasians. Trump has a long history of closet and not so closeted bigotry. His real estate company wouldn't rent to people of color. Trump made up nonsense about Obama's heritage. It's no surprise he is attempting to do the same with Harris.

It is definitely not simply a dog whistle. There is a purpose, whether to peel off a couple percentage points of the black vote or just as a general angle to paint her as pandering to whatever is better in the moment for her political career. I don't think it's going to be use as a long term attack on her, just muddy the waters and keep throwing mud.

Nonsense. Harris is excellent on the issues. Something Trump is terrible with. What Trump does is LIE, LIE, LIE, and insult others or speaking in sweeping generalities.

If Trump is a better debater than why did he run away from the debate?

I'd assume he wants different conditions than those he agreed to with Biden. It is easy to see why. Very different candidates, so his team should have a different approach. As you saw from the first debate, the specifics didn't matter since any extended view of Biden's performance would be advantageous to Trump. Much like Harris is smart to avoid a debate that gives Trump an advantage in venue and atmosphere. CNN did a good job with the first debate but I guess that is a matter of perspective. I like less commentary from the hosts. Let the candidates fight it out.

As for Harris being excellent on the issues, this is all speculation. It is all stump speeches from a teleprompter with no confrontational questions for her to respond to. She has always been a liability when it comes to debate and interviews with anything but friendly reporters. The question will be if she can keep enthusiasm from supporters, which seems possible given the shorter window and the drive for anyone but Biden or Trump. The honeymoon phrase will eventually run into reality though.

It's always been my understanding that, in a country composed almost entirely of people whose ancestors arrived there in the relatively recent past, the adjective preceding American was simply used to indicate what part of the world those ancestors originally hailed from. So Irish American, Italian American etc. Why on earth would African American be different?

Black Americans are one group that generally can trace their ancestors back much further, with a much different experience than recent Caribbean and African immigrants. The latter generally have better outcomes due to selective migration which can cause some friction while laying claim to the same hardships they haven't actually experienced. That seems to be my impression at least.

 

[Donal]

Last I checked, DWB stops don't filter out nationality.

 

[Pixel42]

What colour is an Afrikaans immigrant, usually? Or a Rhodesian?

White, probably. And?

Surely it's up to each US citizen to trace their ancestry back as far as the ancestors with whom they most wish to identify, and choose their qualifying adjective accordingly. Someone whose ancestors 400 years ago were, say, Dutch, but whose more recent ancestors lived in South Africa, has at least two adjectives to choose from.

Don't forget that if they go back far enough, everyone on earth could choose to describe themselves as African.

Personally I look forward to a time when humanity has finally outgrown the primitive instinct of tribalism, and no-one gives a toss what their - or anyone else's - ancestry is; all that matters is "the content of their character", to quote Martin Luther King.

 

[Hercules56]

Not stupid at all. Something I'm sure many African American voters are already well aware of.

Following the one-drop rule that we have followed for generations, Kamala is black.

Ancestrally she is half black, half Indian.

WTF do you guys care soo much? Your obsessive focus on her race seems racist and pathological.

 

[rdwight]

Last I checked, DWB stops don't filter out nationality.

That's cute but you are missing the forest from the trees. Over 50% of black immigrants and second generation have come here just since 2000. They make up around 20% of the total black population. To believe their experience mirrors those of the black Americans that trace their lineage here back to slavery is what they take issue with. Not my fight but to portray it out of that context does a disservice to the discussion.

 

[acbytesla]

It is definitely not simply a dog whistle. There is a purpose, whether to peel off a couple percentage points of the black vote or just as a general angle to paint her as pandering to whatever is better in the moment for her political career. I don't think it's going to be use as a long term attack on her, just muddy the waters and keep throwing mud.

Trump is throwing mud. That is for sure. Everything Trump does is about division. But he's the ONLY ONE talking about her race. You very well may be right that Trump has some idea that if he can divide people of color he might have a chance. But that idea screams of desperation.

This reminds me so much of Trump's attacks on Obama. Simplistic rants about his heritage. He's black, he's not black enough. Trump really doesn't know what to do with her.
Notice, Trump isn't talking about issues.

I'd assume he wants different conditions than those he agreed to with Biden. It is easy to see why. Very different candidates, so his team should have a different approach. As you saw from the first debate, the specifics didn't matter since any extended view of Biden's performance would be advantageous to Trump. Much like Harris is smart to avoid a debate that gives Trump an advantage in venue and atmosphere. CNN did a good job with the first debate but I guess that is a matter of perspective. I like less commentary from the hosts. Let the candidates fight it out.

Right. Trump was chomping on the bit to debate Biden again. His words.. "Any time, Any place, Any where. Now it must be on Fox at a Trump Rally.

Black Americans are one group that generally can trace their ancestors back much further, with a much different experience than recent Caribbean and African immigrants. The latter generally have better outcomes due to selective migration which can cause some friction while laying claim to the same hardships they haven't actually experienced. That seems to be my impression at least.

Maybe, but probably not. My experience is if people see race, it will trigger their bigotry. They don't care whether one's ancestral relatives were slaves brought to Florida or Jamaica to see black.