500 signatures reached
To: Newsweek
Newsweek Must Apologize for Racist Attack on Kamala Harris
Newsweek must retract the anti-Harris racist attack of her citizenship eligibility for the position of Vice President. Attacks against Harris are part of a longstanding series of birther and racist attacks against people of color, and Newsweek must commit to stop publishing inflammatory and racist neo-birther articles and apologize for its shameful editorial defending its move to publish Eastman’s article.
Why is this important?
Shortly following the announcement of Kamala Harris as Biden’s running mate. Newsweek ran an article by John Eastman questioning Harris’ natural citizenship and eligibility to be vice president. Immediately, this sparked outrage as many called this out for what it is: the latest in the constant attacks against people of color questioning their citizenship, patriotism and American-ness
There is no question that Kamala Harris, an American citizen born in Oakland, California, is eligible to be vice president of the United States. It shouldn’t require affirmation. But evidently Newsweek needs to be told to assert this clear fact.
Instead of retracting Eastman’s false claims following an outpouring of outrage from its readers, Newsweek doubled down on its failures and published an editorial denying the racist and birtherist nature of the attacks. Newsweek writes in its editorial, “No one is questioning Harris' place of birth or the legitimacy of an obviously valid birth certificate.” In fact, Eastman’s article is titled, “Some questions for Kamala about eligibility.” It is reprehensible for Newsweek to publish such hateful vitriol, and to provide a platform for harmful conspiracy theories hurled at people of color. Newsweek’s deplorable decision is particularly troubling given the xenophobic and racist climate in the United States, further fueling racist attacks on America’s first Black woman to run for the office of Vice President.
Eastman’s claims are false and fail to uphold the Constitution as it has been understood in policy and practice. Newsweek attempts to defend its choice by stating, “leading law schools have long entertained debates between competing scholars about the original public meaning of the Citizenship Clause.” Newsweek is not a legal publication, nor are its readers largely Constitutional scholars. It is a mainstream publication that is giving the space and platform for Eastman to make racist and birtherist attacks on Harris as a Black Indian woman. Newsweek must retract its editorial, denounce the racist conspiracy theories at the heart of Eastman’s article, and give them no space in their pages.
There is no question that Kamala Harris, an American citizen born in Oakland, California, is eligible to be vice president of the United States. It shouldn’t require affirmation. But evidently Newsweek needs to be told to assert this clear fact.
Instead of retracting Eastman’s false claims following an outpouring of outrage from its readers, Newsweek doubled down on its failures and published an editorial denying the racist and birtherist nature of the attacks. Newsweek writes in its editorial, “No one is questioning Harris' place of birth or the legitimacy of an obviously valid birth certificate.” In fact, Eastman’s article is titled, “Some questions for Kamala about eligibility.” It is reprehensible for Newsweek to publish such hateful vitriol, and to provide a platform for harmful conspiracy theories hurled at people of color. Newsweek’s deplorable decision is particularly troubling given the xenophobic and racist climate in the United States, further fueling racist attacks on America’s first Black woman to run for the office of Vice President.
Eastman’s claims are false and fail to uphold the Constitution as it has been understood in policy and practice. Newsweek attempts to defend its choice by stating, “leading law schools have long entertained debates between competing scholars about the original public meaning of the Citizenship Clause.” Newsweek is not a legal publication, nor are its readers largely Constitutional scholars. It is a mainstream publication that is giving the space and platform for Eastman to make racist and birtherist attacks on Harris as a Black Indian woman. Newsweek must retract its editorial, denounce the racist conspiracy theories at the heart of Eastman’s article, and give them no space in their pages.