Democratic Presidental Nominee Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris as his running mate. The United States Senator from California has a resume - including the Attorney General of California and District Attorney of San Francisco. By no means is this a partisan issue. What faces us is instead her character or lack thereof, rather than her ideology, and maybe even yours. Kamala Harris needs to reconsider who she is, especially when standing in front of a Wonder Woman painting. The same goes for those who choose to endorse her and depict her as a Wonder Woman figure. Already, you can find fan artwork of Kamala Harris' depiction as Wonder Woman.
Like any politician, they are usually all talk and no act. One can easily assume, as a woman, Kamala Harris represents and fights for women's rights. Just one of the many issues facing women is sexual harassment. Larry Wallace is an aide and confidant of Kamala Harris for fourteen years. Mr. Wallace begins with Kamala Harris in her position as District Attorney of San Francisco in 2004. California's Department of Justice receives notice in October of 2016 that legal action will come to Larry Wallace for sexual harassment. The case comes to settlement for $400,000 mere days before Harris' swearing into the U.S. Senate. Months later, her arrival into her new senate job, Wallace is her new senior adviser. He will not resign from this position until 2019.
What is terrible is how Kamala Harris claims ignorance. No one in her office ever told her of this scenario. Hence, she is unaware of this case, or so she claims. The litigation is against California's Department of Justice, where she works as State Attorney General from 2011 - 2017. Kamala claims to be for women's rights but admits to never speaking with the victim of this case. Instead, she relies on the succeeding Attorney General and the pay-out settlement in dealing with the victim. Sadly, it appears Kamala has more interest in defending her long time associate, rather than working to hear and protect women.
Darwyn Cooke's Justice League: The New Frontier includes a fascinating scene on such a matter. One may claim this is less sexual harassment and more sexual assault to rape. Wonder Woman flies across Indochina during the Second Indochina War. Here, she comes across a village who side with the French against the rebels. Out of retaliation, rebels burn the area, kill the men, children, and lock up the women in cages 'for the rebels to...use' as Wonder Woman puts it. One needs little imagination to understand what she means by this. It may be best that Wonder Woman does not go into detail. She decides to disarm the rebels and free the women from their cages. The newly free women decide to take up arms and kill the men who brought such terror upon them.
Now we can debate the pros and cons of Wonder Woman condoning such actions by these women. That is hardly the point. The case with Wonder Woman here is how she is not cliche's and platitudes, offering nice rhetoric for the rights and justice for women. Wonder Woman gives action, or as she lectures Superman, "I gave them freedom and a chance for justice. You know, the American Way." She is also not a reactionary force waiting for the word to come from associates about such injustices.
Another telling tale is Joe Biden's record of four women accusing him of sexual harassment. On the subject of these women, Harris states, “I believe them and I respect them being able to tell their story and having the courage to do it." This statement comes from 2019, fast forward to 2020, and now she is this man's running mate for the 2020 U.S. Presidental Election. Why this change? It goes back again to her friend, Wallace. She can stay consistent and do battle for women or maintain the status quo to uphold her power and prestige.
Since her inception, Wonder Woman is a feminist icon. Dr. William Moulton Marston himself foresaw a matriarchal society, with women like his creation Diana Prince. The Ms. Magazine publication debuts in 1972 with Wonder Woman on the cover. Time after time, we see her having to bail out her Justice League allies and remind men of the power women have as well.
Wonder Woman herself is a paragon of truth. One of her most iconic attributes is the Golden Lasso, or as some know it, The Lasso of Truth. With this, she can extract the truth out of anyone, hero or villain, man or god. The Amazon Princess does not require a brutal, unconstitutional interrogation process. Most of the problems in our world arise from deception and lies. Many forms of Wonder Woman, is a woman of naivete, not understanding the politics of man's world, this century or last. Much like in Patty Jenkins' film, where she does not understand how military leaders can sit behind the front and let their soldiers die, not telling them about the possibility of ending the war.
In 2010, a judge took issue with Harris' office after it covered up the falsifying and tampering of evidence in a police crime lab against 600 defendants. Her office acted indifferent at best to this scandal. The leading drug prosecutor in Harris' office noted the unreliability of the crime lab, but this information never comes to the defense of these 600 individuals. Unfortunately, the office covers up this note. Now, why would anyone who claims to fight for justice try to cover up the truth? Can you imagine Wonder Woman, turning a blind eye toward truth and justice, to protect herself from any inaccuracies?
Beloved Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter calls Kamala Harris' nomination as 'an extraordinary moment.' Sadly, this only solidifies this notion of Harris as a Wonder Woman for the nation. One cannot allow this simple endorsement to sway you. No offense towards Lynda Carter, but we also cannot rely on Hollywood stars to educate us on such matters. No doubt that Kamala Harris, a woman of color sways many voters against your run of the mill, traditional, white male administration. Diversity aside, her track record does not embody justice, nor real active defense for women.
If you want a Wonder Woman, it takes more than popular demand, a simple endorsement, or standing in front of a painting. A true Wonder Woman requires a desire for justice, truth, and compassion. A Wonder Woman demands integrity!
If you like what you read here, please feel free to leave a like and tip. Furthermore, you can read my story about Wonder Woman and American Foreign Policy here.
Sources
Lara Bazelon, Kamala Harris Was Not a ‘Progressive Prosecutor, The New York Times, 2019
Jaxon van Derbeken, Judge rips Harris' office for hiding problems, SF Gate, 2010
About the Creator
Skyler
Full-time worker, history student and an avid comic book nerd.
THE HARDER THEY FALL
MAYORS COME AND GO especially when burdened with an era of dilema from a prior administration. That is not to say thatcarrying off a resolution of any prior political height is not accomplishable by an incoming entity; but it reads like an open book, specific to women of color.
By CarmenJimersonCross-Safieddineabout 23 hours ago in The Swamp
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