(PatriotNews.net) – The group Black Lives Matter (BLM) is pushing back against the Democratic Party’s plan to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as the candidate for president. They are demanding that the Democratic National Convention (DNC) create a process that includes public participation, not just decisions made by party delegates.
In a statement on Tuesday, BLM, known for their significant role in the 2020 protests following George Floyd’s death, criticized the party’s nomination process. They argued that a “24-hour process of talking to party bosses is not democratic” and is not something the Democratic Party should be proud of.
President Biden has faced pressure from within his party to drop out of the race after a poor debate performance last month. Despite insisting he was “in it to win it,” Biden unexpectedly withdrew from the race over the weekend and nominated Harris to take his place. The Democratic Party quickly united behind her, securing enough delegate support to finalize her nomination at the DNC convention in August.
BLM, despite usually aligning with the Democratic Party, has called this move unfair. “We do not live in a dictatorship. Delegates are not oligarchs. Installing Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee and an unknown vice president without any public voting process would make the modern Democratic Party a party of hypocrites,” the group stated.
They are demanding the DNC “immediately host an informal, virtual snap primary across the country prior to the DNC convention in August” to allow public participation in the nomination process. They stressed the importance of protecting democracy and the voices of Black voters, especially given the unusual political situation with President Biden stepping aside.
BLM accused Democratic Party elites and wealthy donors of trying to manipulate Black voters by appointing Harris and an unknown vice president without a public primary vote. They emphasized that while a Harris presidency might be historic, the process must be democratic.
“We have no idea where Kamala Harris stands on the issues now that she has assumed Joe Biden’s place, and we have no idea of the record of her potential vice president because we don’t even know who it is yet,” the group added.
Shalomyah Bowers, a BLM leader, clarified that their criticism is not an attack on Harris or Black women, nor is it a question of Harris’s qualifications. It’s about ensuring a fair nomination process.
“Those of us who care about democracy cannot support installing Kamala Harris and an unknown vice president as the Democratic nominee without a people-powered process,” Bowers said. “We need to ask communities across the country if they believe this should be the Democratic ticket. Anything less undermines democracy.”
Efforts to reach the Harris campaign for comment were unsuccessful.
