Since Chelsea Clinton Proved Unpopular, Meet “Spamala” Harris

Amy Sterling Casil
REAL in other words

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I’m pretty sure there’s an interesting person somewhere inside California’s junior Senator Kamala Harris. Her background, education, and job achievements as a top prosecutor show she is a capable, highly-intelligent woman who at least at times, has had the public interest at heart and followed through.

Unlike an awful lot of people who market politicians and manipulate public opinion, I’m capable of showing respect for someone, even if I don’t admire current marketing efforts or would be much more receptive to hearing about policies like #MedicareforAll or #Fightfor15.

Instead of issues affecting Californians or America as a whole like healthcare, sanctions of Iran and Russia, and looming financial risks, there’s a massive publicity blast trying to position Kamala Harris as a potential Democratic nominee for President in 2020 because she is a “silenced” woman.

When you put the Senator’s name in your search engine and you see every conceivable news outlet repeating the identical statements and same photos within hours of each other

This nonsense marketing blast is first, disrespectful to Senator Harris. I doubt if she realized its true nature and effect, she would agree it shows her in the best light. Or does she truly think voters have the intellectual staying power of squirrels and the emotional maturity of second graders?

I don’t mind being called “hysterical.” To put this tragic message in context, here are some names I’ve been called for publically stating I supported Bernie Sanders and after the 2016 primary season, registering as a Green Party member, or for advocating things like #MedicareforAll, affordable college, and a $15 minimum wage: “racist,” “misogynist,” “lesbian bull dyke,” “stupid,” “ignorant,” “woman-hater,” “traitor,” and so-on.

Yes, now that I review these statements and how hard I work just to make ends meet, I would prefer “hysterical.” When I won the college writing prize two years in a row and the serial rapist in charge of it got mad at a female writer for beating his favorite male students in the anonymously-judged contest, I would much rather he had called me “hysterical” and ignored me. Instead, he hit me in the head with an ashtray and raped me. If it were me there in that Senate, I would calmly laugh in the face of those Republicans as I sponsored legislation for #Medicare4all and denounced war-promoting actions and sanctions. Because I’m not three years old, I know how to face adversity, and I’m a rape survivor.

California endured three decades of Barbara Boxer, who was less-effective for state residents and less-involved than Hillary Clinton was on behalf of New York. We should all recall Boxer as an all-round nice lady, extra-classy and pleasant to constituents at all times, especially when neighboring Nevada was screwing over Bernie Sanders delegates and falsely stating they were out of line …

There’s a Snopes article stating that Boxer is “pointing” … with her index finger. I invite everyone reading to point at something with their left hand and see if they have an extra digit to the left of their forefinger, and point with their knuckles facing outward, not toward their face. The Snopes editor responsible for that is currently profiled in the Atlantic discussing “fake news” as an authority.

Again, to put this in context, despite people trying to get me fired from my college teaching job because I said “we are all disabled” (scientifically — everyone has a form of disability or lack in cognitive and physical functioning, something ableists conveniently ignore) and encouraged an end to ableism by providing opportunity to individuals regarded as disabled by society, acknowledging that they may have many skills and talents to offer — I have never used foul language in nearly 20 years in the classroom, nor did I use it more than a handful of times in any other job — out of respect for others and a desire to do the job to the best of my ability —

I really am better than Barbara Boxer. I really can refrain from flipping off people I disagree with, and those who might be criticizing me in public. It’s actually important. It’s part of leadership. This is why I write personally. Because I’m not alone in these things. We are so used to being told what to think, do, say or buy — but especially vote for — that we no longer seem able to question basics.

I bet more than 95% of teachers haven’t cursed in the classroom, and 95% of business executives refrain from flipping their co-workers off. I bet each of these groups can resist these dual temptations, and they don’t go around trying to justify problems at work such as low sales performance or poor program outcomes by saying “These men at the office called me hysterical!”

So when we consider Boxer’s performance and behavior, Kamala Harris could be a step up.

But she’s only off to a strong start in the sense I’m not seeing dozens of pictures of her flipping people off, and she hasn’t been on the job long enough for her actual performance to be evaluated.

Here’s why I was inspired to write this article. On top of the omnipresent articles promoting Harris as a “silenced” woman in the Senate, look what I saw in my email this morning!

And unsolicited spam emails just to make sure I get the message is one step too far.

Oh no! Kamala can’t talk in the Senate!!!

They sure as heck are not silencing her in any other way …

My subscriptions I never knew I had at 7:00 AM Pacific Time
My Subscriptions at 10 AM Pacific Time (after I wrote the following request)

In-between, I discovered on my own—it doesn’t matter whether or not I signed up with “The Action Network” and it doesn’t matter if I am interested in the emails [I didn’t sign up, and I’m not interested].

This “advocacy platform” can share my email without my knowledge or consent. They can do whatever they want. The CAN-SPAM Act covers only for-profit commercial enterprises and solicitations. The partisan political organizing site which appears to falsely claim it’s “for progressive causes” appears to have Bernie Sanders’ supporters mailing list and now it’s good to go for relentless marketing of infantile DNC personality politics.

Remember how seriously people took it when it was reported that the Hillary Clinton campaign wanted Bernie Sanders’ email list? Now it’s just plain the DNC in general wanting Bernie’s list? And how important people thought it was when President Obama’s email list was officially shared with the Democratic National Committee?

I don’t think that matters because it looks like they’ve got it anyway. You could get 600,000 spams a day from Kamala Harris and 500,000 from Chelsea Clinton and it would be perfectly legal and good luck with stopping it.

That said, does this massive onslaught of repetitive “messaging” do any good?

I don’t think so and neither do marketing experts that pay attention to actual metrics and ROI.

I was neutral on Kamala Harris before.

Now, I am certain she’s a can of spam. And Willie Brown’s former extramarital girlfriend.

I’m sure she loved 30-years older Willie and loves her current husband very, very much. Just as much as Hillary loves Bill and Barbara Bush loves George H.W. Bush.

Just don’t, Kamala, flip young students off who are asking for jobs or opportunity. Otherwise Chelsea will get your job.

Don’t you want to be President Kamala? Aren’t you the very best qualified? It looks like you were the first to break through and abuse Bernie Sanders’ mailing list! What an achievement!

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Amy Sterling Casil
REAL in other words

Over 500 million views and 5 million published words, top writer in health and social media. Author of 50 books, former exec, Nebula nominee.