Speaking Friday at the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum, Vice President Kamala Harris said that disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Fiona and Ian should prioritize “communities of color.”
“We have to address this in a way that is about giving resources based on equity, understanding that we fight for equality, but we also need to fight for equity, understanding that not everyone starts out at the same place,” said Harris to actress Priyanka Chopra Jones during a chat about climate change. “It is our lowest income communities and our communities of color that are most impacted by these extreme conditions and impacted by issues that are not of their own making.”
Jones interrupted Harris to ask whether women would also be prioritized during hurricane relief efforts. Harris replied, “Absolutely,” adding, “If we want people to be in an equal place, sometimes we have to take into account those disparities and do that work.”
Though the DNC audience applauded her words, the Vice President’s comments produced instant panic among Floridians affected by Hurricane Ian and drew criticism from politicians and scholars throughout the country.
Christina Pushaw, who serves as rapid response director for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), assured concerned residents that FEMA assistance is available to all Floridians regardless of race.
“Only liberals could find a way to make hurricanes all about race,” tweeted conservative author John Hawkins.
“Real people don’t talk like this,” argued American Enterprise Institute Sadanand Dhume. “If a hurricane hits a state, we should expect the government to help all those affected: black, brown, white, purple, green.”
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk agreed, stating that emergency resource allocation “should be according to greatest need, not race or anything else.”
Journalist Ian Miles Cheong was a bit more abrasive: “Just say it: poor white people are screwed, and Kamala Harris is gloating about it the same way she gloated about sending thousands of black men to prison over drug-related misdemeanors.”
Author Jim Hanson described the Vice President’s comments as “a violation of the Civil Rights Act.”
Harris’s inappropriate response to Hurricane Ian wasn’t her first mistake of the week. During a recent visit to South Korea, she bragged about America’s “strong alliance” with North Korea. Pyongyang launched missiles before and after her visit to the peninsula.
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VP Harris slammed for saying Hurricane Ian aid will be ‘based on equity’