Vice President Kamala Harris took to Twitter on Sunday to offer a message specific to “Black women and girls,” but the optics behind her tone-deaf tweet set off a firestorm of online responses to exactly what message she was sending.
It was the accompanying photo that jumped out, as Harris is seen holding hands with the child while crouching down to speak to her — the child is wearing a mask, while the vice president is not.
“My message to Black women and girls everywhere: Never ask for permission to lead,” Harris tweeted.
My message to Black women and girls everywhere: Never ask for permission to lead. pic.twitter.com/vimjDeItFG
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 19, 2023
There was plenty of commentary about the message being sent by the photo, such as, “Do what I say, not what I do,” or, “Rules for thee, but not for me.”
Turns out, this is not the first time a bare-faced Harris has posed with masked children.
In April 2022, Harris was photographed at an elementary school in Washington D.C. While the children in the photo are wearing masks, none of the adults pictured are.
#TRENDING | Vice President Kamala Harris / School Administrators going MASKLESS at an elementary school in Washington, D.C. where young children were STILL MASKED up.
Follow @ElAmerican_ for more breaking updates. pic.twitter.com/4Krw4L3tUO
— VOZ (@Voz_US) April 5, 2022
The science suggests that children are less at risk from Covid-19 than adults, and that masks are not all that effective in mitigating the virus — especially so when loose-fitting cloth masks are worn, which is what many children wear.
The reaction to the vice president’s tweet was fierce, calling into question what we are teaching children today… here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story from Twitter:
“But keep that mask on like we told you, or else.”
— Merianne Jensen (@MerianneJensen) February 19, 2023
But she needs to ask permission to breathe freely? GTFO.
— Marina Medvin (@MarinaMedvin) February 20, 2023
Kids should not have to ask for permission to show their faces and breathe freely.
— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) February 19, 2023
Are you serious? You’re muffling a child and think you’re conveying the message that she has the right to lead? You can’t be serious
— Jenin Younes (former handle @leftylockdowns1) (@JeninYounesEsq) February 20, 2023
But, little black girl, you better wear a mask around me because I’m super valuable and you are not.
— Amy (@famousamosquito) February 19, 2023
All this picture does is remind us that you support masking children while you are unmasked yourself. You’re anti-science.
— Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) February 19, 2023
Looks like your message is “be muzzled,” actually
— Abby Libby (@abbythelibb_) February 19, 2023
Lead? Your boss is an old rich white guy. https://t.co/6JE6PxNs0s
— Ian Haworth (@ighaworth) February 20, 2023
The rage I feel when I see adults without masks and children wearing them is not good for my health. https://t.co/oYBfIQsyUc
— Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) February 20, 2023
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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