 |
| Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention. |
'On behalf of the people, on behalf of every American regardless of party, race, gender or the language your grandmother speaks, on behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey, on behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with, people who work hard, chase their dreams, and look out for one another, on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on earth, I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America," Harris said on the last night of the Democratic National Conventnion in Chicago.
In accepting the nomination, along with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris becomes the first person of mixed Asian and Black descent to be the Presidential nominee of a major political party in the US.
In her 38-minute acceptance speech, the Vice President used the occasion to reintroduce herself to American voters including a heavy emphasis of the life lessons learned from her late mother, Shyamala Goplan Harris, who immigrated from India in 1968 to study at the University of California, Berkeley and her Jamaican father, Donald J. Harris, a professor who did not attend the DNC.
"They instilled in us the values they personified. Community. Faith. And the importance of treating others as you would want to be treated. With kindness. Respect. And compassion.
"She taught us to never complain about injustice. But…do something about it. She also taught us—Never do anything half-assed. That’s a direct quote," continued Harris.
"They instilled in us the values they personified. Community. Faith. And the importance of treating others as you would want to be treated. With kindness. Respect. And compassion.
"She taught us to never complain about injustice. But…do something about it. She also taught us—Never do anything half-assed. That’s a direct quote," continued Harris.
Harris contrasted herself and her policies from Donald Trump and the Republican's draconian plans outlined in the document "Project 2025," which in summary would reduce Social Security, reduce the taxes for the super-rich, eliminate the Department of Education, implement a plan to deport 10 million immigrants, and implement a national ban on a woman's right to determine her health needs, re abortion, among a host of other extreme right policies.
“Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails and how he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States, not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security but to serve the only client that he has ever had: himself,” Harris warned
Nevertheless, she promised to be President for all the people, even those who don't vote for her.
“With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past,” she said. “A chance to chart a new way forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”
“With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past,” she said. “A chance to chart a new way forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”
She announced her candidacy only last month after President Joe Biden dropped out of his reelection campaign and endorsed her to succeed him. The Democratic Party moved quickly to rally behind Harris.
Harris' seemingly meteoric rise to be her party's nominee actually has been four years in the making after President Joe Biden chose her to become his Vice President. During that time, she worked closely with Biden, who made sure that she was fully versed on on international and domestic issues.
Her speech, like many other speeches during the DNC, used the word "joy" to contrast the dark images of the country stressed during the Republican National Convention.
In conclusion, Harris again drew on the wisdom of her immigrant mother: “You know, our opponents in this race are out there every day denigrating America, talking about how terrible everything is. Well, my mother had another lesson. She used to teach. Never let anyone tell you who you are, you show them who you are,” Harris said.
“America, let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for: freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness and endless possibilities. We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in history of the world, and on behalf of our children and our grandchildren and all those who sacrificed so dearly for our freedom and liberty, we must be worthy of this moment. It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith, to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish and to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth, the privilege and pride of being an American.”
Her speech, like many other speeches during the DNC, used the word "joy" to contrast the dark images of the country stressed during the Republican National Convention.
In conclusion, Harris again drew on the wisdom of her immigrant mother: “You know, our opponents in this race are out there every day denigrating America, talking about how terrible everything is. Well, my mother had another lesson. She used to teach. Never let anyone tell you who you are, you show them who you are,” Harris said.
“America, let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for: freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness and endless possibilities. We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in history of the world, and on behalf of our children and our grandchildren and all those who sacrificed so dearly for our freedom and liberty, we must be worthy of this moment. It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith, to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish and to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth, the privilege and pride of being an American.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.
No comments:
Post a Comment