All is apparently not well within the Harris family. Kamala Harris’s Jamaican born father (a professor, if that’s relevant to anyone) took issue with her recent claims about not having being opposed to pot legalization as California AG, because “are you kidding? Half my family is Jamaican”.
Now I do not know what Kamala Harris’s father’s political beliefs are, or whether they may have influenced his statements here. But I do know that this story fits within\reinforces one of negative impressions I’ve had of Ms Harris since pretty much the beginning. Namely that of being willing to say any damn thing she believes might help her win, truth of said statements be damned. Or, if not that specific, the general impression that she doesnt really believe in or stand for anything. Not for anything but herself.
She made a five-word joke about the stereotype of Jamaicans and drugs. In a sane world, no one would care.
Of course it’s the left that gotten completely wound up in the idea that stereotypes are by themselves harmful, and that even a tiny little joke can be harmful, painful, traumatizing, etc… (Here’s one example, there are countless others.) So I guess anyone who shares such crazy beliefs would have to say that Harris has just inflicted severe harm on Jamaican listeners.
It was just morning-radio. But yeah, a bit tone deaf to anyone who knows that most Jamaicans are quite conservative and very much dislike the Jamaicans=rastas stereotype.
I don’t think the father overreacted. Just like her comments were to morning radio, his were to a local Jamaican audience for whom a US-presidential candidate with Jamaican roots is a very big deal.
It may have been a joke (or “half joke”) but it also served a purpose: to bolster her pro-legalization bona fides. The point is the fact she made the joke at all in that context. It just seemed to align with some of my preconceived notions about Ms Harris.
Can you explain why? I mean, if she didn’t actually support legalization and is now saying she did, that’s one thing. But if she did support it, I don’t see what the problem is with her making that joke. Even granting for the sake of argument that it was offensive to Jamaicans, how would offending Jamaicans support the narrative that she “doesn’t stand for anything but herself”?
Kamala Harris is American and repeated an American-style stereotype of Jamaicans. It’s an American tradition - we adopt the identity of our ancestors while at the same time not knowing a single thing about our ancestors’ culture. We also get overly uptight over jokes about cultural stereotypes.
I’m a Harris fan but a willingness to play off stereotypes gives me pause. Even ones that play off of stereotypes of ones own heritage.
I’m Jewish and it sort of rubs me the same way as if Sanders responded to a question about banking regulations with something about being Jewish so of course he knows the industry!
If she played off a Black stereotype it wouldn’t be as easily shrugged off as just a joke. Would it play well if she answered about small business ownership with a reference to Quickimarts and an Apu imitation? Just because Jamaicans have less power here doesn’t mean having fun at their expense is more justifiable. Quite the opposite.
Minor in the scheme of things but a ding against her nevertheless. Still in my top two though for now.
What did she say that wasn’t true? She said she “inhaled” (tee hee). I doubt you have convincing evidence that that’s untrue. Then she said half her family is from Jamaica. Is that not true?
