“Kamala is finally making her presence known online,” said Marlon Twyman, a professor of quantitative social science who specializes in social network analysis at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School. “For years, her political activity and donations have not been shared widely through online platforms. Now we’re paying attention, but how much time are people spending researching her influence?”
At issue is the legitimacy of Harris’ influence, especially among black Democrats who are essential to her victory. “Are we critically examining what we see online,” Twyman continued, “or are we just passively accepting these stories about her candidacy?”
United For nation states, dualisms are convenient frameworks for political warfare. Good versus evil. Elites versus the underclass. Black versus white. Rather than calling for new frameworks, they operate in the old way.
In reality, things are never that simple. In Harris’ case, despite early momentum, rifts are visible among black progressives online. On one side are those who believe black voters have not benefited from the “virtue vote,” as actor Nicholas Ash put it at a Zoom fundraiser, and who say black voters must support Harris no matter what. On the other side are voters who are more critical of Harris, have been slow to commit, and want a more imaginative political future.
“We’re unwilling to listen to the lesser of two evils because we’re threatened with fascism on the other side,” Ash said on a video call organized by Black gay and queer men who support Harris. He was careful not to completely excuse the vice president’s record or overlook the difficulty of disentangling key issues on the ballot, including reproductive justice, Palestine, immigration and the economy. “It’s a tough ask, but it’s one that Kamala has to accept if she wants our nomination,” he said.
Others are less enthusiastic about Harris. Many see the two-party system as antithetical to real progress and concrete change in the skewed panorama of American politics. “If you lack political imagination, say so. If you can’t envision a different way of living, if you can’t imagine a different way of organizing our society, say so,” visual artist Jatvia Gary said in an Instagram post, noting she was exhausted by “the cyclical nature of Harris’ repeated intimidation and voting shaming.” happen Every presidential election.
Harris drew ire from all quarters when she made the statement in Washington on July 24 following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Congress and demonstrations against what protesters believe to be a genocidal war against Palestinians: “You didn’t do enough on Zoom” @ashtoncrawley Posts Regarding X, he alludes to the performative allyship that critics of the presumptive nominee denounce. Said Understanding this issue requires more nuance.
James Pratt Jr., a professor of criminal justice at Fisk University, said the online reaction around the vice president is not surprising. Coalition-building among identity and affinity groups is expected, he said, especially given his past failure to support Hillary Clinton and his failure to speak out in support of black women more generally. In American politics especially, there is often a desire to contribute to the weaving of our shared history. It is natural to want to be part of something bigger than yourself. And “at least on the left, it pays to be seen as a ‘first’ and to support ‘firsts,’ because history uses those events as the basis for our collective memory,” Pratt said. “People want to be remembered. Being critical can distance you from history.”
