Since the US presidential election of 2020, Joe Biden’s vice-presidential running mate, Kamala Harris has been a center of worldwide attention. On January 20th, 2021, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president accompanied by Kamala Harris as the vice-president. Ms. Harris would make history as the first black woman to be elected as the VP of the United States. Even before her nomination as VP, Harris enjoyed immense popularity as District Attorney of San Francisco (2004-2011), Attorney General of California (2011-2017) and Senator from California (2017).
As a black woman of Indian descent, Harris is seen as a beacon of hope for black people and other minorities across the United States. However her career as district attorney and attorney general might suggest otherwise. Under her career as District Attorney, San Francisco saw 1,900 marijuana-related convictions. Moreover, as Attorney General of California, Harris sent 1,560 people to prison over cannabis-related charges. She also remained in staunch opposition to the legalization of marijuana leading to a high conviction rate that disproportionately affects black people. Furthermore, she vigorously fought against a ballot measure for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use while co-authoring an opposition argument against the measure. However, in May 2018, Harris suddenly changed her anti-cannabis view and supported legalization right before her presidential campaign.
Harris also actively defended the inhumane ‘Three Strikes’ law. The “Three Strikes and You’re Out” law imposes life sentences on people who have previously committed two serious or violent crimes and then commit a third crime. However, the third crime which could be something as minor as a misdemeanor would impose a mandatory 25-year life sentence. The implementation of the law was backed up by the argument that it would punish “career criminals who rape women, molest children and commit murder”. However, in 2004, it was discovered that out of 7500 inmates serving life sentences, about 60% were arrested on nonviolent offenses. Not only did Harris defend the law but also worked towards preventing any form of reform in the law. She appealed to the voters to reject Proposition 66 which would have reduced the life sentence to only serious or violent crimes. The law also led to a 12 times high incarceration rate for black people compared to white people.
However, this implementation of uniquely cruel policies does not end here. Harris’s crusade on ‘Truancy’ an aimless, inhumane adventure led to psychological trauma for both children and parents. Truancy is defined as an intentional or unjustified absence from compulsory education (does not include medical or other ‘legitimate’ reasons). As District Attorney, Harris sponsored a bill in 2010 to make truancy a criminal misdemeanor in the state legislature. In January 2011, the law was officially implemented by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who made it a criminal misdemeanor for parents to allow students from kindergarten to 8th grade to not attend 10% of school days without a valid excuse. After a few years, Harris advocated for heavy fines of $2,500 or one year in jail for parents of truant children. Harris argued that it would prevent future criminals by ensuring their education. However, research shows that it had a traumatic effect on children, parents and poor families as seen in the case of Cheere Peoples. In a video from 2010, Harris gleefully remembers how under the anti-truancy program she sent officers to intimate a homeless mother, whose children were skipping school.
In 2000 Harris began working for the San Francisco City Hall representing victims of child abuse and neglect. Prosecuting sexual abuse became an integral part of a young Harris’ career which she later acclaimed in her presidential campaign and some advertisements. However, beneath this much admirable profile of combating child abuse, lies a grim story on which Harris looked the other way. After her electoral win of 2004, Harris inherited the office of the then-District Attorney of San Francisco Terence Hallinan. Under Hallinan, the office was in contact with the survivors of sexual abuse against the Catholic Church. Hallinan had gathered a substantial amount of evidence and files of victims of the clergy in San Francisco and was prepared to hold the Church accountable. However, this entire process of justice was disrupted when Kamala Harris became the District Attorney and took control of all of the files and evidence regarding the case. After her election, Harris turned a blind eye to the victims and their constant pleas. There was no effort on Harris’ behalf to reach out to the victims. Harris also refused to release the files to public information on the excuse that she wanted to protect the victims’ identity. In a video, Joey Piscitelli, one of the victims of the clergy abuse, rebuts this excuse saying, “She could have redacted the names, blacked out the names, and left them out”.
Despite her horrifying past as prosecutor, Harris remains a champion for many liberals and minorities in the US. Harris is a breath of fresh air, in a system dominated by corrupt old white men, they argue. Perhaps the charade of identity is more important than justice; perhaps the oppressed may find solace in knowing their oppressor is not, yet another old white man.
