The father of 2020 Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris, Jamaican Professor Donald Harris, has issued a sharp rebuke after his daughter casually stereotyped Jamaicans in an effort to look cool on a radio show.
When asked on New York City‘s hip-hop radio show “The Breakfast Club” if she opposes legalizing marijuana, Harris replied:
“That’s not true,” adding “and look, I joke about it – half-joking, half of my family’s from Jamaica. Are you kidding me?”
Q: They say you oppose legalizing weed.
KAMALA HARRIS: That's not true.
Q: I know.
HARRIS: And look, I joke about it — half-joking — half my family’s from Jamaica. Are you kidding me?…
Q: Have you ever smoked?
HARRIS: I have. pic.twitter.com/dABtHKPGUG— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 11, 2019
Responding to his daughter’s shameless pandering, Donald Harris said in a statment to Jamaica Global Online:
“My dear departed grandmothers (whose extraordinary legacy I described in a recent essay on this website), as well as my deceased parents, must be turning in their grave right now to see their family’s name, reputation and proud Jamaican identity being connected, in any way, jokingly or not with the fraudulent stereotype of a pot-smoking joy seeker and in the pursuit of identity politics. Speaking for myself and my immediate Jamaican family, we wish to categorically dissociate ourselves from this travesty.” –Jamaica Global Online
Harris’ father wasn’t the only one to take offense to the stereotype, as Jamaican newspapers ran several headlines covering Kamala’s “hot sauce in the purse” moment. – READ MORE