January 21, former California district attorney and Oakland native, Kamala Harris announced that she was going to be running in the 2020 presidential race on “Good Morning America.” She asked for the people to support her by attending her first rally in Oakland.
“Truth, justice, decency, equality, freedom, democracy: these aren’t just words, they’re the values we as Americans cherish. And they’re all on the line now.” Harris put in her announcement video, which was posted to all social media platforms, highlighting her slogan Kamala Harris, for the people.
If elected Kamala Harris would be the first African-American Asian woman to become president. Although Kamala Harris is very aware of her platform and what she represents she chooses to still brand herself as just American to get away from those labels.
Kamala Harris’s first rally for her official event announcement was in Oakland on Jan. 27. Over 20,000 people rallied from different areas over the bay just to hear her speak and show their support. While waiting in line to hear Kamala Harris speak, I noticed there was so much diversity and so many African-American supporters. I just wondered if they’ve got the full story.
Harris has always said that in her years as a district attorney in California that she considers herself to be a woman who was just in the decisions she made. However, some people feel that she was not the “progressive prosecutor” she claimed to be. At one point when asking Kamala Harris to take a bolder approach to ensure accountability and impartial investigations for cases, but they said: “Miss Harris opposed them or stayed silent.” Kamala Harris is also in favor of the death penalty and in one case she opposed the DNA testing of a death row inmate whose trial was shown to be unjust and biased in their treatment.
“I’m not really sure if people have done research on her. The Presidential race is barely starting and even though she sounds like the best candidate we still need to be open to the idea of new people,” A’nhiya Gaines, SFSU student had said after the rally in Oakland. Through the years, Kamala Harris has seemed to change her views on the legalization of marijuana in the US. Initially opposing legalization completely then switching her ideals as the times changed. Everyone deserves a chance to evolve their ideas through learning experiences.