Kamala Harris Brings Racial Justice to Hurricane Relief?

Is Kamala Harris smart and cunning or, well, not so much? Between her comical word salad musings, her obvious lack of preparation – for anything – and her uncomfortable gaffes, Joe Biden’s right-hand woman (should it be left-hand?) hasn’t done much to inspire confidence in her knowledge or competence. Just the other day, Harris touted America’s “strong alliance” with “the Republic of North Korea,” wherever that is. But of much more concern was her assertion that the distribution of federal hurricane assistance must be based upon the “need to fight for equity.” One can reasonably assume the translation: She wants white people sent to the back of the line when resources are provided to hurricane-devastated communities.

The phrase that first comes to mind is, what was she thinking? One could drop the “what” from that question and still be on point. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other departments within the government have procedures and guidelines in place for state and local authorities, as well as individuals, to apply for and receive resources in the wake of a natural disaster. Upending those rules in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ian’s destruction for the sake of some perceived notion of racial equity would cause legal nightmares and delays for both the agencies and the communities attempting to obtain assistance. Not to mention the sheer moral dubiousness of it all. That is not likely to happen – at least this time around.

Kamala Harris Playing to the Crowd?

If Harris is in fact smart and cunning, she is aware of this fact but chose, with one eye on the November midterm elections, to play to minority groups. If that is the case, she made an empty promise; telling “communities of color,” as she put it, that they would be first in line for relief and resources.

During an on-stage chat with Indian actress and model, Priyanka Chopra, at the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum on Sept. 30, the VP explained her non-thinking. She suggested that “our lowest-income communities and communities of color” were “most impacted” by Hurricane Ian. Even Mother Nature is racist and hates poor people, apparently. No white Americans in expensive houses could possibly have suffered any serious losses. “And, so, we have to address this,” she went on, “in a way that is about giving resources based on equity… “

Then came the cringe. Switching into full condescension mode, with that mocking smile of a teacher who knows the seven-year-olds to whom she is explaining something cannot possibly understand, Harris expounded the difference between equity and equality. The basic idea being that some people should be given more because they have further to go to reach equality with their fellow Americans. And, of course, Harris means non-whites who are apparently, in her view, less capable and less able to succeed and, thus, more reliant upon the government because they can’t provide for themselves.

If that all sounds very much like west-coast progressive elitism – or perhaps even white supremacism – that’s because it is.

But spare a thought for Kamala Harris – because then she will have at least one thought. She was immediately hammered by critics. Florida’s rapid response director, Christina Pushaw, fired back on Twitter:

"This is false. @VP's rhetoric is causing undue panic and must be clarified. FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background. If you need assistance visit http://disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362."

Elon Musk even chimed in. Responding to a critical tweet from Students for Trump founder Ryan Fournier – who mused, “I guess everyone else is just screwed” – Musk added that the distribution of resources “[s]hould be according to greatest need, not race or anything else.”

The Horrific Illusion of Imposed Equality

Was Harris pandering to the black and Latino communities for votes, knowing that “racial equity” would play no part in the allocation of assistance? Perhaps, but could it be that the administration intends to put its thumb on the scale and fast-track resources to some areas over others, based on ethnic demographics? Either possibility is both unpalatable and unethical, not to mention the latter option likely being illegal. Whatever the reason behind this latest Kamala Harris calamity, it is another sign that the current administration intends to – or believes it can and should – continue to widen the divide between whites and non-whites. Not just between racial groups, though, but between those who Harris and Biden think have too much and those who apparently have too little.

No government, in the history of human society, has been able to impose or legislate either equality or equity without the attempt producing horrific results. Unfortunately, every new wave of statists says, this time it’s different – this time we know how to make it work. And if they would even consider applying theories about social justice and racial equity to the recovery efforts of thousands of Americans who lost so much – or everything – then what else are Biden, Harris, and company capable of dreaming up?