Projected Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has come under fire over her Twitter post urging people to support struggling small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Harris’s post on the weekend underscored that “especially Black and minority-owned businesses, urgently need relief” if they were to survive the current challenges.
Small businesses, especially Black and minority-owned businesses, urgently need relief to survive the effects of coronavirus this winter. @JoeBiden and I are committed to helping these businesses during this pandemic and get them the support they need to thrive in years to come.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 28, 2020
While the tweet seemed well-intended, Harris was quickly called out by the Twitterverse for her alleged double standards, as her statement seemed to be at odds with her open support for protesters at the height of social unrest in the US over the summer.
At the time, Harris openly supported Black Lives Matter (BLM)-spearheaded protests in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of a police officer in Minnesota.
On 1 June she openly encouraged donations to bail out jailed protesters, despite hundreds of businesses being looted, vandalised and torched amid the turbulent events.
If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota. https://t.co/t8LXowKIbw
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) June 1, 2020
At the time, people on social media called out Harris for her stance, wondering if she was “deranged”.
Sorry, looters are arrested, not protesters. Also legit protesters are out in the light, for all to see, and delivering an inclusive message. Those with masks and unknown agenda's are criminals and deserve to rot in jail for a while. #BackTheBlue
— ted scott ❌ 🇺🇸 (@tedscott4) August 31, 2020
Are you serious right now? You want to help post bail for people that have burned building down??? Are that deranged?
— HansomeAtaru (@AtaruHansome) June 1, 2020
You're not only proud of rapists, you bail them and violent thugs from jail.....nice.
— RastaSez: Joe is POTUS Eject. (@TkaBrake) September 17, 2020
In Minnesota's capital region alone, more than 360 businesses in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul were vandalised or looted. At least 66 were completely destroyed by fire, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Gov. Tim Walz activates Minnesota National Guard to restore order amid riots, looting | Star Tribune https://t.co/4SXCNjXoLu
— Jamie Ivanov (@MuffintopSpeedo) May 28, 2020
While driven by ire against racial injustice and police brutality, the protests had morphed into widespread rioting and looting, with small businesses in many major metropolitan cities bearing the brunt of the violence.
#georgefloyd #blm #blacklivesmatter #wecantbreathe #justiceforfloyd #justice #justiceforgeorgefloyd #endpolicebrutality #mpls #minneapolis #saintpaul #twincities #Minnesota #looting #protest #looters #racisminamerica #justicereform #blog
— Nathaniel Barber ✍️ (@Nathaniel_Bbr) June 2, 2020
. . .https://t.co/qaL82loMpz pic.twitter.com/97NiTZFhjC
The recent tweet by Kamala Harris, now in the role of projected Vice-President, immediately set off a reaction on social media, with users calling her out over the apparent contradiction.
The same businesses that were looted and destroyed during rioting? By the same people for which you helped raise the funding for their bail and legal costs? Hmmmm.
— Ron Cates (@RCbeancounter) November 29, 2020
By burning them down and encouraging people to riot in cities with strong black communities?
— troythekidd (@troythekidd999) November 28, 2020
So you help bail out the people burning down their businesses and then want to tell us they need our help? You see the irony here Harris or did you not think we would not remember that!
— mark b (@walkmansdad) November 29, 2020
If you cared so much about small and minority owned businesses, you would have denounced the riots and called for law and order rather than let them burn
— Mel Awesome, the most awesome Mel to ever awesome (@mel_awesome) November 29, 2020
Maybe she can help the Caucasian small business owners get a job loading trucks at Amazon. She’s so sweet! I mean , after all, she was bailing out the looters.
— Park Hoey (@PHoey) November 30, 2020
You bailed looters out who destroyed small businesses. Pick a lane.
— Samurai Apocalypse (@heather4liberty) November 30, 2020
Kamala already did pick her lane. Now she has to back pedal.
— Robin Vergason (@AntiqTreasTrove) November 30, 2020
Many took issue with Kamala Harris’ singling out of “Black and minority-owned businesses”.
Can you just help Americans without color coding everything?
— Parallax (@parallax2020) November 28, 2020
Why “especially?”
— Madsiers (@AdamSiers) November 28, 2020
What does that even mean, especially?!!
How’s this helping with unity, the stated mission of this administration?
You are Vice President treat all Americans equal also white business owners need assistance
— Abdirahman Hussein (@ramool) November 28, 2020
This is a disappointing statement. ALL small businesses not "especially black or minority" need help. If we want our citizens to be equal, you need to stop dividing us, please.
— KayBee631 (@Kaybee631) November 29, 2020
