On Sunday afternoon, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke in Selma, Alabama, to mark the 59th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” an important event in the civil rights movement.
At the beginning of her speech, Harris did talk about something else. In some of the strongest public statements the administration has made to date, the vice president asked the Israelis to do more for the people in Gaza who are “dying of malnutrition and dehydration,” while the Israeli military bombed Hamas in response to the terror attack by Hamas.
For “the immense scale of suffering in Gaza,” Harris also asked Israel and Hamas to agree to a long-negotiated plan for a four- to six-week cease-fire in return for Hamas freeing hostages who were in danger.
The United States said over the weekend that Israel had agreed to the plan and that “the onus is on Hamas right now.”
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, over 28,000 people have lost their lives in Gaza since the war was initiated by Hamas on October 7.
“The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses,” Harris said in Selma. “They must open new border crossings. They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid. They must ensure humanitarian personnel, sites and convoys are not targeted, and they must work to restore basic services and promote order in Gaza so more food, water and fuel can reach those in need.”
At the same time that Harris and President Joe Biden have supported Israel’s fight against Hamas—and the vice president did so again on Sunday when he said that the danger from Hamas “must be eliminated”—they have also been worried about the deaths of civilians.
More and more progressives are criticizing the government for not putting pressure on Israel to end the war.
According to the United Nations, over 570,000 individuals in Gaza are on the verge of facing famine-like levels of hunger as a result of the ongoing conflict.
Israeli officials emphasize their commitment to reducing civilian casualties and have responded to the widespread humanitarian concerns for the people in the Palestinian territory.
In an interview with ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge, Ophir Falk, an adviser to Israel’s prime minister, highlighted that Israel is actively facilitating the entry of thousands of trucks into Gaza.
Harris, in her remarks on Sunday, disputed the U.N.’s warnings of famine and instead emphasized the dire situation in Gaza, stating, “People in Gaza are starving.”
She expressed her concern about the inhumane conditions, emphasizing that as human beings, we have a moral obligation to take action.
Commemorating civil rights
The vice president not only gave a speech at the event but also took part in the annual crossing jubilee of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The bridge, which was initially named after a Confederate general, gained notoriety when Alabama state troopers brutally attacked Black demonstrators during their peaceful march for voting rights on March 7, 1965.
The shocking brutality left people across the country in disbelief and ignited widespread support for the historic Voting Rights Act.
Harris made a visit on Sunday, strategically timed during an election year. This visit aims to solidify her and President Joe Biden’s support among Black voters. They are also using this opportunity to highlight their ongoing commitment to voting rights, even though progress on this front has been slow in Congress. Some left-wing critics argue that the White House has the power to do more on voting rights without relying solely on Congress.
Senate Democrats reintroduced a significant voting rights proposal last month, honoring the memory of the late Georgia lawmaker and civil rights hero, John Lewis. Lewis, who endured a skull fracture after being brutally beaten while crossing the Selma bridge 59 years ago, serves as an inspiration for this initiative.
Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Democrat from South Carolina, and Rep. Terri Sewell, a Democrat from Alabama whose district includes Selma, were among the notable attendees at Sunday’s bridge crossing. Also present were Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and second gentleman Doug Emhoff.
Selma is actively working towards expanding its high-speed fiber broadband access. Local officials have emphasized the importance of this initiative in empowering the residents of the city.
“In an interview, Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. emphasized the importance of circulating factual information quickly and succinctly, as it helps create a more educated community.”
Selma University President, Stanford Angion, shares his excitement about the potential impact of digital equity on voter participation. He believes that the ability to connect with individuals in real time will play a significant role in increasing engagement in the electoral process.
Biden and Harris have placed a strong emphasis on democracy and individual rights in their campaign, aiming to distinguish themselves from the previous administration of Donald Trump. Trump has been criticizing the White House on issues such as inflation, immigration, and foreign policy.
The Biden-Harris campaign has responded strongly, asserting that Trump, who appears to be on track to secure the 2024 Republican nomination, is an antidemocratic candidate. They highlight his involvement in overturning the guarantees provided by Roe v. Wade for abortion access.
Perkins, the mayor of Selma, criticized the increased scrutiny of diversity and inclusion initiatives and the implementation of stricter regulations on voting rights.
“This is an extremely perilous period, and it is deeply disheartening for us,” he expressed. “I’m not certain if people truly grasp the gravity of the situation. Nevertheless, it is imperative that we remain vigilant and attentive.”
The vice president’s visit to Selma follows a recent poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College, which once again highlighted challenges for Biden in a hypothetical rematch against Trump. This poll is just one among many that have shown unfavorable results for him. However, the Biden campaign remains skeptical of these findings.
In addition to leading the charge on voting rights for the Biden administration, Harris has taken on the role of being the primary advocate for abortion rights in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade two years ago. She recently addressed the issue, highlighting its significance in Alabama following a recent state Supreme Court ruling that classified embryos as children under the law, thereby impacting access to in vitro fertilization.
On the 51st anniversary of the Roe decision, Harris initiated a “reproductive rights tour” in Wisconsin, a battleground state. Coinciding with this, first lady Jill Biden was also in Wisconsin to promote the “Women for Biden-Harris” program and openly criticize Trump.
Alabama, along with 15 other states and territories, is set to cast its votes on Super Tuesday. Notably, it is also the home state of Senator Katie Britt, who has been chosen to deliver the State of the Union response for Republicans this Thursday.
Biden, who made a trip to Selma in the previous year, took to social media to share his thoughts on the anniversary on Sunday.
“Fifty-nine years ago, courageous Americans endeavored to cross a bridge in Selma, Alabama, named after a Klansman in their quest for justice,” he expressed. “Presently, as well as every day, we pay tribute to that enduring legacy by advocating for the preservation of voting rights and the maintenance of our electoral system’s integrity.”
In 2015, the late Rep. Lewis and Sewell wrote an article together in The Selma Times-Journal, expressing their support for retaining the name of the site despite the ongoing calls for a renaming.
“Keeping the name of the bridge is not an endorsement of the man who bares its name but rather an acknowledgment that the name of the bridge today is synonymous with the Voting Rights Movement which changed the face of this nation and the world,” they wrote.
