Kamala Harris is no friend of freedom or Palestine

International

Kamala Harris should be chosen as the Democratic presidential candidate, but her own record is despicable

Palestinian protesters marched to the Democratic National Convention, where Kamala Harris will speak.

Kamala Harris was expected to be elected as the Democratic presidential candidate this week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The main audience of her speech was the ruling class of the USA. She wanted to be the candidate of imperialism, the generals and the rich in the November election.

But in order to gain votes, Harris is portraying herself as a groundbreaking candidate for liberation, democracy and progress. That is wrong.

Harris is another face of rotten US capitalism that is destroying the lives of Americans at home and its enemies abroad.

As Biden's deputy, Harris has the blood of the Palestinians on her hands. This month alone, the US sent £2.7 billion in aid to Israel, as part of an £11 billion supplementary package passed by Congress. That doesn't even include the huge new sums for weapons (see page 2).

Harris is trying to quash any accusation that she is soft on immigration policy because of her black skin. In 2021, after touring Mexico and Guatemala, she told migrants “don't come” to the United States.

In February, she sponsored a border security bill that would have increased funding for refugee deterrence and detention centers. She also takes pride in her border-related prosecutions as California's attorney general.

Harris rejoiced: “I have taken action against transnational gangs, drug cartels and human traffickers who have come into our country illegally.

“I have prosecuted them in one case after another and won.” Harris' camp also distances itself from the “Medicare for All” campaign, which would give millions more Americans access to health care.

But Harris' “left” reputation is bolstered by what passes for left in the Democratic Party. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) – who endorsed left-wing alternative candidate Bernie Sanders four years ago – stepped into the spotlight on Monday to endorse Harris.

Anger in the streets forced AOC to call Israel's genocide genocide in March. That has since been forgotten. And Ilhan Omar, who was part of the “troop” alongside AOC, said in February that Biden had “green-lighted the massacre of Palestinians.” She later praised him as “the best president” of her life and now trails behind Harris.

Meanwhile, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on Monday and are expected to do so again on Thursday. Their message was clear: unite the struggles, fight imperialism, show no mercy to criminal Democrats and do not support Harris.

On Monday, some protesters attempted to break through security fences and police arrested four people. The protesters marched to the convention center with placards, Palestine keffiyehs and Palestinian flags.

They called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, an end to US arms sales to Israel and no further imperialist US interventions in the Middle East. They chanted “Genocide Joe, Killer Kamala” and “Baby Killer Blinken” against Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

During Biden's speech to Congress, some attendees unfurled a banner reading “Stop Arming Israel.” A man behind the group repeatedly hit a Muslim woman in the head with a pro-Biden sign as the conference lights dimmed.

Protesters condemn Democrats

Speakers at the pro-Palestine rally in Chicago on Monday accused Democrats of complicity in genocide by supporting Israel's decade-long attack on Gaza.

The march was attended by 270 groups, including students, workers and Muslims fighting against war, state and police racism, immigration laws and for labor, reproductive and LGBT+ rights.

Nazek Sankari is co-chair of the March on DNC coalition. She is also part of the US Palestine Community Network (USPCN) in Chicago.

She said: “We stand with Palestine and demand an end to all US aid to the colonial and racist settler state of Israel. We want humanitarian aid for Gaza.”

“We had to fight with the state for a long time to be within sight and hearing distance of the conference.

“But this meeting is not a reason to celebrate – it represents genocide and war. We will continue to march and shout until we have liberated Palestine.”

Kobi Guillory of the Chicago Teachers Union said: “Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Antony Blinken are war criminals.

“Are they funding housing, healthcare and education? Are they stopping killing black people? Are they defending people's lives from right-wing attacks? No. They have funded one of the most horrific crimes against humanity.”

“They serve the same corporate interests as the Republicans. War criminals believe that bombs will make them powerful. Our power is the thousands of us marching now.”

Nesreen Hasan, also of the USPCN, said: “Biden’s administration is giving Israel the green light to murder with unlimited bombs and bullets.

“Israel pulls the trigger, but it is the United States that pays for it.”