“Viewpoints” is a place on Chapelboro where local people are encouraged to share their unique perspectives on issues affecting our community. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work, reporting or approval of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com. If you’d like to contribute a column on an issue you’re concerned about, interesting happenings around town, reflections on local life — or anything else — send a submission to viewpoints@wchl.com.
What Kamala Harris Must Do To Win My Vote
A perspective from Chris Mayfield
I had really hoped that the recent debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump would make me feel that I could vote for Kamala Harris.
Like millions of other voters, I was hugely relieved when President Biden finally decided to exit the race. Before that, since he seemed destined to lose—and since I disagreed vehemently with many of his policies—I had felt freed to vote my conscience by supporting Jill Stein and the Green Party.
After Biden’s exit, though, I hoped that Kamala Harris would distance herself from Biden’s militarism and commit to redirecting our tax dollars to fight the climate crisis and support human needs here in the US. Harris’s choice of Tim Walz was a hopeful sign, based on the progressive measures he has been able to enact in Minnesota.
Repeatedly, though, my hopes for the Harris campaign have been dashed. The Democratic Convention made abundantly clear that Harris plans to continue the devotion to “the most lethal military on the planet.” I was appalled that Harris refused to allow even a short, mild speech by a loyal Palestinian-American Democratic representative from Georgia. I was dismayed by Harris’s proud commitment in her acceptance speech to a militarized southern border, reinforcing the stereotypes and falsehoods about immigrants and ignoring both the legal rights of migrants to seek asylum and the ongoing contributions of immigrants to US culture and economy.
Since then, these misgivings have only intensified with the CNN interview, the policy page on the Harris campaign website, and finally the debate. Although in the debate, Harris did a very effective job of accurately portraying Donald Trump as the racist, misogynist serial felon that he is, she also doubled down on her prior militaristic commitments.
Most disastrously, in my view, she reasserted, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she intends to continue funding Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza: “But the one thing I will assure you, always, I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself.”
It’s important to note that Harris reiterated this commitment four days after Aysenur Eygi, an American citizen, was killed by an Israeli sniper during a peaceful protest. It’s also important that the day before the debate, Israel attacked a tent encampment in a “humanitarian zone “ on a beach in Gaza with 2,000-pound US-made bunker-busting bombs.
I don’t want Donald Trump to be president. I’m as frightened as anyone by Project 2025, January 6, and all the rest. But I cannot vote to continue the genocide. It’s just a deal-breaker—not only for me, but for millions of other voters across the nation, as shown in poll after poll.
Fortunately, there is still time for Kamala Harris to earn my vote. A bottom line would be simply committing to enforcement of the 1997 Leahy Act which stipulates that the US may not supply weapons to countries engaged in violations of humanitarian law.
Israel is in blatant violation of this law, and I cannot vote to continue our partnership in these horrific crimes. Please, Kamala Harris, earn my vote. Otherwise, I’m with the Greens.
“Viewpoints” on Chapelboro is a recurring series of community-submitted opinion columns. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work or reporting of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com.
