Undated photo of Kamala Harris, left, with her father Donald and her niece Meena.
Donald J. Harris (1938- ) is the father of Kamala Harris, the California senator who is running for US president in 2020. Born in Jamaica, he became a professor of economics in 1972 at Stanford, one of the top universities in the US. He retired in 1998 and and now lives in Jamaica.
Background: Donald Harris was born in St Ann parish in Jamaica. He is light-skinned and a descendant of Hamilton Brown, a slave owner and founder of Brown’s Town. Harris’s father’s father was Joseph Alexander Harris, a land owner who exported allspice, an ingredient of curry powder.
Work: Harris, like Barack Obama’s father, came to the US to get an education to help his own country. He wanted to understand how Jamaica as a whole and Black people in particular got a raw deal from world capitalism and what could be done about it. He has been a long-time adviser to the Jamaican government. Out of that work came the National Industrial Policy of 1996 and the Growth Inducement Strategy of 2011. He has also done work for the Ford Foundation, United Nations, World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank.
Marriage: In the 1960s at Berkeley he met Shyamala Gopalan, a fellow grad student. She was from Madras, India (now called Chennai). They took part in the Civil Rights Movement, got married, and had two daughters, Kamala (b. 1964) and Maya (b. 1967). They divorced in 1972, when Kamala was seven. He remained in Kamala’s life, but she was mainly brought up by the Indian side of her family.
Maya Harris, 2011.
On fatherhood:
“As a child growing up in Jamaica, I often heard it said, by my parents and family friends: ‘memba whe yu cum fram’ [Remember where you come from]. To this day, I continue to retain the deep social awareness and strong sense of identity which that grassroots Jamaican philosophy fed in me.
“As a father, I naturally sought to develop the same sensibility in my two daughters. … It is for them to say truthfully now, not me, what if anything of value they carried from that early experience into adulthood.”
Kamala Harris, when asked two weeks ago on “The Breakfast Club” if she supports the legalization of marijuana, laughed and said:
“Half my family’s from Jamaica. Are you kidding me?”
That is a stereotype, something someone who barely knows Jamaica or Jamaicans would say. And, with her speaking as a Jamaican American and a former prosecutor, it is deeply irresponsible since it gives weight to those stereotypes, which in turn support racial profiling. Even if it is “just a joke”.
Her father was even less amused:
“My dear departed grandmothers … as well as my deceased parents, must be turning in their grave right now to see their family’s name, reputation and proud Jamaican identity being connected, in any way, jokingly or not with the fraudulent stereotype of a pot-smoking joy seeker and in the pursuit of identity politics. Speaking for myself and my immediate Jamaican family, we wish to categorically dissociate ourselves from this travesty.”
– Abagond, 2019.
Sources: mainly Stanford and Jamaica Global Online (January 13th and February 15th 2019).
See also:
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Abagond 
So what do you want her to do lie?
Pot is not some type of acid, it is just like beer. No matter what anyone thinks.
Good for her!!
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No I have never used pot I drank a ton or more of good old Bourbon! And beer was the greatest. Now I am old and drink water!
Let us not start out being hypocrites and demanding from her more than what we ourselves cannot project.
Question: Is she a good politician and can she manage an office as large as the presidency?
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@ Allen Shaw
Her answer was in effect a lie because it makes it seem like she was always for legalization of recreational marijuana, when in fact she did not support it till last year, well after it was no longer a controversial stand within the Democratic Party.
Also, she could have easily answered the question without stereotyping Jamaicans and dragging her father’s name into it.
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Well pot should be decriminalized because it’s been used by the State as a pathway for poc to go to prison.
Prohibition creates crime and doesn’t work. Choices people make that don’t involve violence should not be considered crimes nor treated as such.
Mrs. Harris could have pointed put that the war on drugs was and is largely a war against people who are not white. Could have pointed out countries like Portugal where decriminalization of all drugs has allowed for a drop in crime.
White people smoke free base cocaine but blacks smoke crack. Same drug with radically different prison terms.
As a prosecutor from a state with three strikes laws how many people are rotting in prison today because of the war on drugs. How many black people did she send to prison ?
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I am a Jamaican and I smoke weed, but what Ms. Harris said was stereotypical. I know many Jamaicans who do not smoke as well as some that do, even within my own family. Some Jamaicans smoke and some do not, like any other nationality.
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Kamala doesn’t quite know how to act, which would be a serious side-effect in her bid to run for a high political office. She needs to be on point, and not be meandering around the roots of American standards. We already have Trump for that.
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I read her father was embarrassed about the marijuana statement. And saying something to the affect of being Jamaican and smoking marijuana. I suppose being a conservative and upscale family with him being a Professor this admission embarrassed him.
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When one compartmentalize or psychologize Kamala’s behaviour, it is easy to see that what she despises most is her Black heritage and exalts her East Indian progeny without actually uttering a word.
Example: Kamala Harris, when asked two weeks ago on “The Breakfast Club” if she supports the legalization of marijuana, laughed and said: – Abagond
“Half my family’s from Jamaica. Are you kidding me?” – Kamala Harris
The East Indians have been smoking something referred to as a mixture of things since 2000 BC.
“Smoking in India has been known since at least 2000 BC when cannabis was smoked and is first mentioned in the Atharvaveda, which dates back a few hundred years BC. Fumigation (dhupa) and fire offerings (homa) are prescribed in the Ayurveda for medical purposes and have been practiced for at least 3,000 years while smoking, dhumrapana (धूम्रपान) (literally “drinking smoke”), has been practiced for at least 2,000 years. Tobacco was introduced to India in the 17th century. It later merged with existing practices of smoking (mostly of cannabis).”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_in_India
The only difference here is that if Kamala was asked the same question above and she hypothetically responded with just a little twist in her reply, such as:
“Half my family’s from INDIA. Are you kidding me?” She would’ve been correct to respond in this manner because it then wouldn’t have been a stereotypical reply.
Hell, …when your own Father disassociate or throws you under the bus before the entire world, you could safely assume he’s done with you.
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Rasafarians in Jamaica represent less then 1% of the population. Yet that is the stereotype whites associate with Jamaica.
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@ blakksage
In fact, Jamaica got marijuana and even the word “ganja” itself from India.
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@ Stacks
Precisely.
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Blakksage, how can Kamala’s “progeny” be East Indian when she isn’t and her husband is Euro-American? I don’t see anything about her even having a child, hence, no progeny. I think you meant to write “ancestry” instead of “progeny”.
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@abagond I am reminded of an old black story about crabs and barrels!
Now two years from now I do not want to read that you did not say what you just said about a person lying!
Is this the beginning of a Clinton type conversation?
By the way do you always respond correctly when you speak or do you “blow it” sometimes?
Are you going to be just as corrective when ‘your choice’ for the office “blows it”?
Most politician lie every day; yet, you seem to be looking for a perfect black.
I refuse to comment about the good or bad of some other nation and what all or some of their citizens do or do not do.
None of us are pure my dear friend.
Please provide your readers with some positive offering about “Mrs. Harris”.
https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/a25905360/kamala-harris-husband-douglas-emhoff/
What qualifictions for the office does a person need?
Can “Mrs. Harris” run as a black? Is “Mrs. Harris” qualified?
Please discuss “Mrs. Harris’s’ political skills; after all this was the place that discourage blacks from voting for Mrs. Clinton. Remember the many comments “Berni or no one”!
Now we have President Trump!
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History
Cannabis was introduced to Jamaica in the 1850s–1860s by indentured servants imported from India during British rule of both nations; many of the terms used in cannabis culture in Jamaica are based on Indian terms, including the term ganja.[2][3][4]
Prohibition
Cannabis was banned in Jamaica under the 1913 Ganja Law, supported by the white elites and the Council of Evangelical Churches in Jamaica.[5][6] The laws were gradually tightened over time, with academics noting that the harsh 1941 and 1961 restrictions occurred during periods where the authorities feared unrest in the lower classes.[7]
Commerce
While cannabis use had been customary in Jamaica for over a century, in the 1960s cannabis farmers began to take advantage of the growing demand in Europe and North America, leading to increased police enforcement, but also corruption of the security and political systems by the profits from international trafficking.[8]
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@ Allen Shaw
I have voted for Obama, Bernie, and Hillary and I have bashed therm all. Far from being some kind of purist, I am a lesser-of-two-evil voter, nine times out of ten.
I am afraid Harris is going to be rammed down our Democratic throats just like Hillary was, and with equally disastrous results.
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@abagond: You hold a special place in this community of voices. You are not like me who is just one small insignificant voice out in the dark.
You have established yourself as the leader of views and you should be neutral at all times. If you choose to be selective you maybe need a “straw man” to express your views.
The disaster of the Clinton vote was the people that did not vote and her failure to realize the needs of those individual who had been impacted by the coal mines and auto industry. Berni did his best to belittle her, while being as sly as any “fox” that has been studied.
Currently there are many individuals running for a primary position. So many that they may have to hold multiple primary debates for the Democrats.
What makes you think that “Mrs Harris” is so far ahead of the pack? Ask yourself, what make her so special?
By the way, I am a father, not in anyway as important like Mrs. Harris’s father; however, I would not ever criticize my children publicly like her father did.
Maybe when you are important and highly successful you can throw your children away or under the bus publicly.
Remember the crab and barrel!
Over sized heads cause many unusual activities!
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@ Allen Shaw
Because the Clinton media, the Clinton shills, and the Clinton donors all seem to be lining up behind her. She seems to be the Anointed One of the Clinton wing of the party. Also, her home state of California has moved up their primary. The primary schedule favours a Black Californian. Therefore, short of scandal or implosion (think Howard Dean or Gary Hart), she stands an excellent chance of being one of the top three Democratic candidates. It was at just this point in the political cycle that I did my first post on Barack Obama (February 2007).
As to her father, yes, it is jaw-dropping that he publicly threw her under the bus. Has that ever even happened to a presidential candidate before? I could not NOT talk about it.
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@abagond:
I see! Not all of the individual have announced they are running yet; but, the CLINTON MACHINE is at work!
I Yield!
I believe the California primaries are moving forward because they were in a useless position. So you believe California is Clinton Territory or do you mean Harris Territory? You failed to mention Texas is also moving their primary to be the same as Iowa.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/2020-democratic-primary-california-texas-look-become-new-iowa-new-n945491
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries
Could you review the final vote count of the last election. It was loss in 5 swing states. California’s large democratic vote count did not count.
Currently this nations Electoral College vote is almost frozen in the position the states vote. Elections are won or loss in the swing states. The Democratic Party allowed an Independent to run in their primary and he killed Hillery and after that the party did not pay attention to the problems that existed in Mich, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida (those folks are now “trumpsters”)!
There are five southern states that have large black populations. Not one of the states has more then a fraction above one third of the state population. Please do a report on this subject.
The best that California can do is give a large vote count in the primary.
Wait until Biden, Holder, and a few others present themselves before you call Mrs Harris a winner.
Who knows maybe Mrs Harris will blow it and will insult Jamaica again! Jamaica is very important in the US election cycle.
Other subject:
I agree, you had to talk about it, (father and daughter). I expect you to be open and cover the entire spectrum. Those of us that agree or disagree will comment and everyone will be a little wiser.
If I were that father I would be so ashamed I would not leave the house!
Keep up the good work!
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How would she like the stereotypical statement that the caste Hindus of India discriminate against Muslims, Christians, Dalits and so-called Tribals?
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The all Jamaicans smoke marijuana is a stereotype. And it doesn’t help that the media has spread this stereotype in movies and television.
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@ Allen Shaw
Upthread you said to Abagond:
“You have established yourself as the leader of views and you should be neutral at all times.”
Do you want him to be neutral at all times about Trump? “All times” implies any politician, not just the current presidential hopefuls of the Democratic party.
Believe me, I understand and sympathize with your dismay over Trump’s presidency, and I don’t want him to win a second term. But I want to hear Abagond’s opinions about the candidates. I’m not going to follow his opinions in lockstep, and I don’t think anyone else will, either.
I want to hear your opinions, too. I hope there be many in-depth, lively discussions about the 2020 presidential candidates over the next couple years.
It is a hard thing to be way way way left of the established liberal party. I don’t think there will ever be a Democratic president I really like. I fully understand what Abagond means about being a lesser-than-two-evils voter.
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@Solitaire: At some time in some individuals lives the might arrive at a position which requires neutrality. That is why I suggested the “Straw man”!
Fortunately, Abagond has arrived at that level.
He is now a moderator of major subjects which are being discussed.
Since I do not have any ax to grind I feel I can remind him of his new responsibilities.
I do not know what was being discussed on this site in 2007 about any subject. At that time I was commenting on another site.
I have faulted Mrs. Clinton for her failures to recognize the swing states. I also feel that Berni should have never been allowed to run on the Democratic ticket, since he is so proud to be an Independent.
Those are my opinions based on past experience.
Now today we have the Progressive Party (Not really a party) running with the Democratic Party and will almost assure a Republican win.
Does anyone know what the Democratic Party stands for today? (Shades of Ross Perot)
As I review this site from time to time I cannot tell if it is a political site or a black site. If it is political more realism needs to be included. Politics is nasty business and no signs of fairness are involved.
Whichever black is a winner to any political position they are going to be required to “play the game”!
If this is a black site more realism needs to be discussed when political matters are brought forward and expectations of how much any individual can accomplish needs to be discussed.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/IPE120217
There are (2017) 4.53 white people for each black in this nation. When you further calculate the fact that so many blacks are in so few states, many states have such small number of blacks that they make no dent in the activities of the political systems.
Therefore any black living in such a state and serving in offices becomes, as some of the commenters say, “a rented Negro”!
The Obama administration gave us Obama Care and the Republican Party took over congress and put a halt to any more progress! Study the Executive Orders that President Obama signed and which President Trump has wiped out.
I wish to remind all that the blacks of this nation are mainly living in the 5 southern states plus Texas and major cities. They are required to seek support from some others to gain their goals. When they are ill advised as to who is supporting them they lose.
Today, even though the House is in the hands of the Democrats they do not have a veto proof number; therefore, in truth they cannot get any bills passed into law unless President Trump wants them to pass.
The Senate is split even and unless there is some massive blow up, they will never have a veto proof Senate until more Republican Senators are replaced with Democrats. Once again President Trump is in power.
People should stop blaming President Obama for failing to give blacks what they wanted. It is all about politics!
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“stereotypical statement”
Is saying “the white man is a” followed by negative comment a “stereotypical statement?
Is it OK to say that even if it is a stereotypical statement?
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For your reading entertainment: From 2007 What was expected
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/new-era-begins-significance-barack-obama-victory-america-and-world/
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Facts you should consider: About the South Eastern States and others. All of the states where the Blacks have the largest population voted against Barrack Obama
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This is at best a misleading statement and in some aspects, simply false.
It is partially false because
Maryland is in the top 4 highest percentage black states yet decidedly voted for Obama.
DC still has the highest black percentage of all the electoral college districts and at the time of Obama’s election, still had a majority black population.
DC and Maryland have enough non-black POC and white liberals to vote against GOP presidential candidates. Cannot say the same for Virginia. Northern Virginia suburbs of DC basically subdue the western and southern parts of the state.
It is misleading because it does not follow that blacks voted against Obama.
In other states, such as Alabama and Mississippi and Georgia, the majority black counties (in the black belt) did not vote against Obama. But the majority white parts of those states did vote against Obama, and added together with voter repression and disenfranchisement, just manage to keep their states from sending their electoral votes over to the other side.
Roy Moore lost his senate seat by a razor thin margin. If he had won would one even suggest that it had anything to do with large numbers of blacks supporting Roy Moore?
Need to guard against trying to make misleading or vacuous arguments based on irrelevant premises or on something that is simply false.
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@jefe
Forgive me you are correct I missed Delaware and DC because I was concentrating on “South Eastern States”. (MHSUMA)
“Could you review the final vote count of the last election. It was loss in 5 swing states. California’s large democratic vote count did not count.”
I should have said Presidential Election.
Approximate population of blacks in 2017 Basically southern states.
DC 46% Miss 38% Louisiana 32.1% Georgia 30.9% Maryland 29% SC 27% Ala 27 % Delaware 21% NC 21 %
I cannot find anywhere in my comments that I mention voters. I thought I spoke of percent of populations. Could you tell me where I discussed voters by race or otherwise.
Thank for your comments.
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I said that it was partially false and otherwise misleading.
You are right that saying that (many of the) states with the larger black populations voted against Obama does not directly state that blacks themselves voted against Obama in those states. But it was a misleading statement.
Maybe it might be better to state that the majority in many states, especially those in the South, did not vote for Obama despite having relatively larger black proportions.
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@ Jefe: Whatever you want said is OK with me. The fact remains blacks need support to obtain their goals and blacks who obtain positions in the government are going to be required to assist all!
Since this subject matter is about Mrs Harris I will continue to say it is premature to select her as the winner.
Please figure out what (MHSUMA) means!
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Congratulations Kamala all the best he made a good choice
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Is Donald Harris Chinese Jamaican? From a newlywed picture it looks like he is 1/4 Chinese. One of his grandparents could be Chinese. Three of his four grandparents are listed on this genealogy website. Maybe the unlisted grandparent is Chinese. https://gw.geneanet.org/tdowling?lang=en&pz=timothy+michael&nz=dowling&p=x&n=christie
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Very informative, especially being a Jamaican immigrant in this country . I will support her and lurn more about her views on curten policies.
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I’m proud of how much she is doing.
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