Kamala Harris, the well known Democratic Senator from California, had a few words for Donald Trump after he made his statement in regards to the rioting in Charlottesville. He failed to make mention of the actual march on UVA's campus, but he had time to respond to the street fighting, brawling, and other means of violence that followed. 

Later on that day, a vehicle plowed into a group of protestors. According to NPR, Trump addressed the intensifying situation in Charlottesville during televised remarks about a bill signing that had already been on his daily schedule. Unfortunately, and probably unsurprisingly, he did not specifically address the vehicular attack. And he did not condemn the white nationalist and white supremacist groups. He alluded to shared blame between protesters and counter-protesters for failing to maintain peace in Charlottesville.

 "We condemn in the strongest most possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. On many sides," Trump said.

Those generic and remarks gained him the criticism of many, even those from his own party. Senator Cory Gardner (R.-Colo.) tweeted his disagreement.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa); Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla).; Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah); Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.); and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) all held the same sentiments as Cory Gardner. 

White House correspondent Hallie Jackson tried to defend Trump's words against the outpour of received backlash.

However, Kamala Harris wasn't buying it. She posted to Facebook Sunday, and let Trump know exactly what was wrong with his ideology. 

"Many sides. I often advocate that we look at many sides of an issue, walk in someone else’s shoes, and identify and reject false choices," Harris wrote. "But there are not 'many sides' to this. 'Many sides' is what kept children in this country at separate schools and adults at separate lunch counters for decades. "

“ 'Many sides' suggests that there is no right side or wrong side, that all are morally equal. But I reject that. It’s not hard to spot the wrong side here. They’re the ones with the torches and the swastikas."

"There is hope to be found," Harris concluded optimistically. "The truth is that the vast majority of Americans are good, fair and just and they want their country to reflect those ideals. And the fact that yesterday’s explicit hate was met with near-universal condemnation affirms my belief in our capacity to overcome evil."

Thank you, Senator Harris, for that eloquent and well-deserved read. What's happening here in America is not unheard of, but it is extremely sad. The fact that the POTUS doesn't understand the severity of it all nor seem to care is disheartening. Senator Harris's words remind us that we the people will overcome in the face of such gross injustice.

 

#charlottesvilleBlack politicsDonald trumpKamala Harris