Owning a gun does not disqualify Kamala Harris from running for president

By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com georgelcookiii@gmail.com

In the interest of full disclosure let me state that I am not a Kamala Harris supporter but I am a Democrat and as one I will support the winner of the Democratic primary. My purpose of writing this op-ed is to warn all Democrats, both progressive and moderate about ideological purity test hurting the party.

President Lyndon Johnson has been quoted as saying "You know the difference between cannibals and liberals? Cannibals only eat their enemies."

That statement is becoming even more true with upcoming 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary which is turning into a battle between moderate and progressives.

That brings me to a USA Today opinion piece written by Progressive Peter Funt who is a writer and host of "Candid Camera." Peter Funt writes that Kamala Harris should be qualified because she owns a gun. The argument he makes is that Harris' gun ownership somehow makes her less credible or hypocritical when it comes to gun control.

Harris owns a gun as someone who was a former prosecutor who had reason to worry about her safety. She keeps the firearm locked up and in a safe place in her home. Funt's arguments is another example of a purity test that doesn't help Democrats win the presidency in 2020.

The fact is many Democrats are okay with gun ownership but what common sense gun laws when it comes to who can own a gun, what types of firearms are legal, and how many guns one person can have. Most of us want laws that will prevent mass shootings and keep our children safe in schools.

Funt's rhetoric not only hurt Harris in this case but Democrats as a whole.

Here are three ways it hurts us Democrats:

1. The op-ed plays right into fringe right-wing fears that Democrats believe no one should own a gun and that the government wants to take their guns. A master charlatan like Trump would capitalize on that to remain, President of the United States.

2. This purity test will disqualify potentially good candidates like Harris, Beto O'Rourke, and Pete Buttigieg who also own guns. I don't think that what anyone wants as we want the best candidate up against Trump.

3. Fighting against gun ownership will hurt Democrats in swing states like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. All states that Trump won and that Democrats need to retake the presidency.

I think those are three important reasons to back off the gun purity test.

In closing I would like to state that we as Democrats have to be careful about how candidates and their supporters go after each other during the primary season. The reason being that the winner of the Democratic Party will need to bring the party together after the primary season.

One way to do that is to get former candidates to endorse, and that becomes much harder when people feel that their candidate of choice was unfairly attacked. It also becomes much harder when losing candidates are so damaged by attacks during the primary that they lose credibility to endorse anyone or that their supporters are so angry that they stay home or worse yet vote for a third party candidate.

I don't care if you label yourself as liberal, moderate, or progressive Democrat, at the end of the day we are all Democrats, and we have to stop cannibalizing ourselves, or we will hand Trump a second term.

What's it going to be?

Rep. Elijah Cummings Statement on Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh

FBI agents raided the home of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh amid accusations of corruption stemming from the sale of her children's book. Baltimore resident Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07) issued the following statement on Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh:

“I urge Mayor Pugh to put the best interests of the City and its residents first and foremost. Baltimore needs and deserves leadership that is above reproach and which can lead the City forward in ways that engender the trust and confidence of all essential stakeholders. No one questions Mayor Pugh’s passion for Baltimore City and its citizens. At the same time, the circumstances now require that she also provide an example of accountability for those same people. We all want her health to be restored and to now focus on these very grave matters that have everything to do with her personal business endeavors and nothing to do with the priorities of the City of Baltimore.”

Biden hires strategist Symone Sanders

Joe Biden has hired Symone Sanders, a prominent African American political strategist, as a senior adviser to his newly launched presidential campaign.

The move adds a younger diverse voice to Biden's cadre of top advisers, which has been dominated by older white men. It suggests Biden is seeking to broaden his appeal to a new generation of Democrats.

Sanders, 29, rose to prominence during the 2016 campaign as press secretary for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. She then became a high-profile political analyst on CNN and is likely to be a forceful Biden defender on television.

Democratic strategist and former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile called Sanders "battle-tested" and said the hire was "one of the best moves" the Biden campaign could make.

"She understands how to build a coalition, and that women of color are the backbone of the Democratic Party," said Brazile, who added that Sanders also helped her bridge the gap with millennials after the contentious 2016 primary elections.

Sanders was recruited by numerous 2020 candidates, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, California Sen. Kamala Harris and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.

[SOURCE: ABC BEWS]

Cory Booker: I will have a woman running mate

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker promised that he would choose a woman as the vice presidential candidate on his ticket if he wins the Democratic nomination for president.

“I will have a woman running mate,” Booker, D-N.J., said at a presidential forum in Houston sponsored by She the People, a national network of women of color. “To me, it’s really clear that we do that.”

Booker was responding to a question asked at the event, which also attracted several other 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls.

He previously said he would consider having a woman in the No. 2 slot on the ticket, but this is the first time he specifically committed to choosing a female vice-presidential nominee.

[SOURCE: NJ.COM]

AFRICAN AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION (AAFCA) ANNOUNCES THE FIRST ANNUAL AAFCA TV HONORS

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) today announced the creation of the AAFCA TV HONORS, an annual awards fete celebrating outstanding achievement in television.  The first annual event will take place as a luncheon on August 11th at the California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey and will hand out honors in seven categories, as determined by AAFCA’s awards committee including:

Drama of the Year

A drama series, limited series, documentary series, television movie or otherwise that stands out for its quality and cultural significance

Comedy of the Year

A comedy series, limited series, television movie or special that stands out for its quality and cultural significance

Discovery of the Year

This award may be given to an actor, creator or project that stands out as a groundbreaker or gamechanger in the television landscape

Actor of the Year

An actor whose work during the calendar year has been extraordinary

Actress of the Year

An actress whose work during the calendar year has been extraordinary

Icon Award

Recognizes a veteran of television who has forged a path in greatness

Inclusion Award

Recognizes a network or production entity that demonstrates a powerful commitment to diversity and inclusion

Recipients of the honors will be announced on June 6 via press release and on AAFCA’s website.

The AAFCA TV Honors joins the organization’s existing awards events that take place in the first quarter of each year — the AAFCA Special Achievement Luncheon which honors extraordinary individuals working in both film and television who represent the best of the entertainment industry including journalists, executives, storytellers and performers and the AAFCA Awards, now in its tenth year, which recognizes outstanding achievement in film.  Dates for both of these events will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We’re excited to expand on our established tradition of celebrating excellence across the Hollywood landscape,” stated AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson, “It’s a thrilling time for television in terms of quality and influence, especially as networks take huge strides forward in reflecting diversity and inclusion in their programming.  This new wave of innovative, thought-provoking storytelling is inspiring and deserving of celebration.”

ABOUT AAFCA

Established in 2003, AAFCA is the premiere body of Black film critics in the world, actively reviewing film and television, with a particular emphasis on entertainment that includes the Black experience and storytellers from the African Diaspora. The organization’s primary mission is to cultivate understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contributions of African descended talent to cinematic and television culture – from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined breakthroughs of future generations.  AAFCA members are a geographically diverse cross-section of journalists, covering all genres of the cinematic arts, while representing multiple mediums – including print, TV, radio broadcast and online. Collectively, they reach a worldwide audience in excess of 100 million. As a non-profit organization, AAFCA is committed to numerous educational and philanthropic efforts, particularly those that foster and celebrate diversity and inclusion. For more information on AAFCA and its programs visit http://AAFCA.com.