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Only in America: Supporting Genocide and Still Being a ‘Girl Boss’

by in World on 27th August, 2024

Kamala Harris has become quite the muse for recent jokes and memes online since the announcement of her presidential campaign. Following the end of Biden’s reelection campaign and the subsequent endorsement of Harris, coconut emojis, fancams, and think pieces have arrived en masse; especially after pop icon Charli XCX declared “Kamala is brat.”

The immediate reaction that followed Harris’ bid for presidency and Charli XCX’s endorsement was a harrowing, yet mixed one. Harris’ official campaign account on X (Formerly Twitter) was quick to change its platform layout to mirror the artist’s “brat” album aesthetic, which accelerated the ‘girlboss’ jokes, and approval of the presidential candidate. As we bear witness to this phenomenon all over again, a question arises: Was this really all it took to be so easily swayed?

The ‘girl-bossification’ of Harris is reminiscent of the tactics used to support Hilary Clinton during her 2016 campaign. Once again, we have found ourselves spinning endlessly on the same carousel we swore we were going to get off of years ago. We are still giving into memes and pop culture references made by politicians because we finally want to believe our next candidate is just like us and different from the rest; but this is never true. Harris’ interests, much like the interests of everyone else in the capitalist ruling class, will never align with ours. “Girl-bossifying” or even “Bratifying” the Vice President is a propaganda tactic to rebrand her image, and works to obfuscate from the fact that she is complicit in aiding and abetting one of the most horrific, genocidal regimes of our time. There is a time and place to indulge in meta-ironic jokes about our harsh realities; but frankly, as my tax dollars continue to fund and accelerate the wholesale slaughter of an indigenous population, I’m in no mood for laughter. 

Harris has a well documented history of being inconsistent with her policies, but her firm support for Israel has always been unequivocal. As a long-time AIPAC ally and current right hand to the Biden administration, concerns were raised over how she could potentially carry on Biden’s policies if elected. As I write this, Harris still hasn’t cemented her policy proposals, but considering her most recent statements regarding the occupation’s ‘right to defend itself’, they aren’t difficult to guess. This point has caused a divide amongst online circles. Critics of Harris who hold Gaza as their top priority have been told to “get over it”, that they’re selfish for being so-called ‘single issue voters’ and that they have “no choice” this election season. Somehow the question of Palestine has mutated into a “moral superiority” debate, which has been a grotesque and irresponsible way of viewing current conditions, to say the least. There is no such thing as a “single issue”, especially when the ‘single issue’ at hand is the ongoing mass extinction of a people.

The question of Palestine is intricately linked to all matters, whether it be reproductive rights, housing, state repression, or healthcare. It cannot be overstated how dire the conditions are for the Palestinian people. Everyday for the past ten months they have woken up to face unprecedented levels of physical, mental, and psychological torture. Their lived realities intersect with, and are, every issue; to downplay these truths into nothing but a “single issue” debate is profoundly shameful and regressive.

It has been jarring, yet unsurprising to see how presumed “leftists” were quick to abandon Palestine and rally behind Harris. Since the nomination, there hasn’t been anything of substance coming out of these conversations, and has only fueled fear mongering and finger pointing. This ultimately is a direct example of how the dilution of Harris has provided her with a veil that discourages criticism against her, and has turned it back against anyone who shares genuine concerns about her potential presidency.

By now, most of us have seen the viral video of Harris shutting down pro-Palestinian protestors at her campaign rally in Michigan – an incident that unfortunately gave way to more memes and sensationalism instead of addressing how reckless her remarks were. Michigan, home to a significant Arab-American community, plays a critical role for many reasons.

It was one of the key states that secured Biden’s victory in 2020, and went on to become the birthplace of the large uncommitted movement just a few years later. The movement, now nationwide, emerged as a concentrated effort to pressure the current administration to reconsider its coordination with Israel. 

Despite knowing this, Harris, instead of addressing the concerns of constituents with tact, took the opportunity to reinforce her ‘girlboss’ status with another calculated response. Her counter to the to the pro-Palestinian voices in the crowd was: “If you want Donald Trump to win, just say that, otherwise I’m speaking!” Not only was it a dreadful move, but it was one that shattered any pretense of compromise. I would argue that her focus in Michigan wasn’t to meet the demands of the community, but to see if she could continue to solidify herself as a quirky, relatable figure that is above criticism. Harris is deliberate. She knows very well what will be clipped from her filmed appearances and turned into a fancam once it hits the internet. The sad part is, people are still falling for it.

What we must understand is that elected officials are not our friends. In the rare instance that they are noble and truly care for their communities, their duty remains the same. They are to acknowledge the needs of their constituents and use the power that they have to fight for their rights and amplify their voices. Harris has not explicitly laid out her policies, yet was able to break campaign fundraising records almost instantly. She continues to dismiss protestors and pro-Palestinian activists, and yet is still seen a deity in the eyes of liberals because of a few one-liners.

Were the supposed non-negotiables that were required for Harris to earn votes forgotten already? Or was that easy to throw away because an intern decided to decorate a social media layout with a lime green header?

My intention here is not to fan the flames of vapid discourse, or tell anyone how to vote, but to encourage reflection and critical thinking. What “the vote blue no matter who” crowd fails to realize is that imperialism, no matter how well dressed, is still imperialism at the end of the day. Are we to regurgitate the same rhetoric every four years? If we recognize that these systems are flawed beyond measure, why do we continue to participate in and sustain them? We cannot “vote away” fascism, when it is already here. The ruling class will not save us, no matter how many trips to the ballot are made.

Before, during, and way past November, I implore everyone to take a step back and look at the world outside the lens of individualism. The ‘every man for themselves’’ mentality has become so pervasive in Western thought, that it has completely stripped us of basic empathy. Leftist language is repeatedly co-opted, but it seems as if nobody wants to be a part of the actual work that leftists engage in. Community building is mocked and we don’t lean on, or support each other as much as we should.

As dangerous conversations surrounding ‘moral superiority’ continue to make rounds, I would like the people who present these talking points to think about what lies ahead. Will you stop caring about others past November? Is that the extent of your determination? Will you be proud of yourself as you go to dinner with an “I voted” sticker the night of the election, because you think your job is done? What will be your next step? When the world continues to burn around you, will your false sense of accomplishment be enough to sedate you until you find yourself back at square one, years from now? Vote for Harris if you must, make all of the memes you want, tout yourself as a morally superior person if you wish, but when the consequences of imperialism boomerang back to your face, you’ll find that the ignorance you embraced was never enough to save you. Political myopia will eventually wear off, and when it does, you’ll have no choice but to realize that the world is so much bigger than you; that the comfort you desperately sought has always come at the expense of someone else’s suffering. In the words of James Baldwin: “We have yet to understand that if I am starving, you are in danger. If people think that my danger makes them safe, we are in trouble.”

Serene Madani

Serene Madani

Serene is a journalist who believes in using her voice for good. Her work covers topics such as Arab identity, politics, culture, and the link between them all. Her work most recently appeared in PAPER Magazine. In her free time, she loves to watch George Lopez re-runs.

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