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Kamala Harris on Civil Rights
Democratic candidate for President; California Senator
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Reparations for blacks should include HBCU and reforms
Harris touched on race and mass incarceration, leading to broader discussions of her agenda for African Americans. When asked, the senator said she is in favor of some form of reparations. "We have got to recognize [that] people aren't starting out
on the same base in terms of their ability to succeed," she said. "So we have got to recognize that and give people a lift up."
As she outlined her agenda--highlighting plans for historically black colleges and universities, tax proposals to address
poverty and criminal justice reforms--Harris defended President Barack Obama when asked about African Americans who say the former president didn't do enough for the black population.
"None of us can do enough. And we all know that,"
Harris said. "If you are a parent raising a child, you know we can never do enough. As leaders, we can never do enough. It's important to acknowledge that. But let's also give people credit for what they have accomplished."
Source: Politico.com, "Legalization," on 2020 presidential hopefuls
, Feb 11, 2019
Calling it "identity politics" marginalizes our issues
SEN. RICK SANTORUM (R-PA): Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party have been, for decades, defending divisive politics. The Democratic Party has been divided along race and class. (VIDEO CLIP from the Netroots convention in New Orleans): SEN. KAMALA
HARRIS (D-CA): I'm aware that some people would say that is playing "identity politics." But I have a problem with that phrase, "identity politics." Its purpose is to minimize and marginalize issues that impact all of us.
SANTORUM: The Democratic Party has been focused on different voter groups, whether it's blacks or Hispanics or whether--you name it, and they have tried to divide this country along those lines, along class, it's been a warfare game for them.
Trump is taking them at their own game. I didn't like it on either side. I can understand why they are upset. I don't like it either.
Source: CNN 2018 interviews of 2020 hopefuls
, Aug 5, 2018
Fight for equal rights for all
From my first days as a prosecutor in Alameda County, to my work as San Francisco District Attorney, to my current service as California Attorney General,
I have worked to bring smart, innovative, and effective approaches to fight crime, fight for consumers, and fight for equal rights for all.I want to be a voice for Californians on issues that impact our state in the U.S. Senate.
Source: 2016 Senate campaign website, KamalaHarris.org
, Apr 1, 2015
Ensure marriage equality for all Californians
She has fought to reduce elementary school truancy in California, preserve the state's natural resources, and ensure marriage equality for all Californians.
She has also worked with the technology industry to improve online privacy and safety.
Source: 2016 Senate campaign website, KamalaHarris.org
, Apr 1, 2015
Eliminate "gay panic" tactic for criminal defendants
Legislative Counsel's Digest: A "gay panic" or "trans panic" defense allows a criminal defendant to claim that the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity provoked them to violence. This outrageous tactic sends the message that
violence against members of the LGBT community is understandable or acceptable. These defense tactics also hurt survivors and loved ones of victims by asking the jury to find that the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity excuses the
defendant's actions. AB 2501, the first bill of its kind in the nation, eliminates "gay panic" and "trans panic" as a tactic for criminal defendants, ensuring that attacks on members of the LGBT community can be seen for what they are.
Legislative Outcome: Co-sponsored by Attorney General Kamala D. Harris; 8/26/14: Passed Senate, 25-9-6; 8/27/14: Passed Assembly, 58-15-6; signed by Governor Brown
Source: California legislative voting records for AB 2501
, Aug 27, 2014
Maintain LGBT health info on federal websites.
Harris signed Letter from 19 Senators to President Trump
We write to you to express serious concerns about the removal of critical LGBT health and scientific information from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website, and the removal of LGBT population-based data reports from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) website. These actions reveal a pattern of censorship that fosters discrimination and undermines access to evidence-based health care resources that aid millions across the country.
Administration officials claim that this online information is integrated elsewhere, being updated, or temporarily down for maintenance. We have seen previous Administrations undermine LGBT health due to ideological pressure from conservative organizations by abruptly deleting online health information--similarly under the guise of site maintenance.
To help us better understand these disturbing developments, please respond to the following questions:- Why did HHS elect to remove or change the LGBT resources on the website?
- What plans do you have to communicate these changes to site users and the public?
- Why were policy papers and reports on sexual orientation and gender identity data collection efforts removed or rendered inaccessible from the OMB website?
- What federal departments were involved in making this decision?
- Will the information on sexual orientation and gender identity data collection from the OMB site be made available on the new website? If so, when?
You have repeatedly broken your campaign promises to support and protect the LGBT community, and this latest assault on a vulnerable population could further compromise the health of more than ten million LGBT people. We are concerned that you are putting politics ahead of science and access to evidence-based health care that is critical for millions, and so we call on you to reverse course to ensure that our federal programs serve the needs of all people.
Source: Letter from 19 Senators to President Trump 18LTR-LGBT on Apr 12, 2018
Page last updated: Mar 15, 2019