Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumKamala Harris: Young people are 'stupid'
If theres one thing Sen. Kamala Harris learned from her time as the chief prosecutor of San Francisco and attorney general of California, its that young people dont know what theyre doing, a video of Harris speaking in 2015 shows.
During a keynote address at a symposium hosted by the Ford Foundation, the thenCalifornia attorney general now Democratic candidate for president laid out her vision for a crime recidivism reduction initiative in Los Angeles.
The program, modeled on a similar initiative that Harris launched in San Francisco, would provide social services to young people 18 to 24 who were convicted of nonviolent felonies.
Why that population?
People that age are stupid, Harris told the audience.
https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/qv79xq/kamala-harris-called-young-people-stupid-in-2015
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cattledog
(5,919 posts)Just thinking of all the stupid stuff I did between 18-24.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skya Rhen
(2,701 posts)Poor choice of a word that I teach my children to never use.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)But theres some virtue in going straight to the point you dont want missed. When I look back at my own adolescence, well lets just say Ive spent years forgiving myself for being so stupid so many times, in my case usually just cringingly embarrassingly, almost never criminally.
As for how we take the word, there is a lot to the delivery. Never pull one off a page and choose to be offended without understanding the true context.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
onetexan
(13,058 posts)Im sure Kamala herself probably have done a few 'stupid' things while at that age. The thing ive noticed about her is she's very direct, and at times not in a good way. BUT her heart is in the right place. She'd make a great VEEP.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Politicub
(12,165 posts)That was indeed a fun time. It wouldnt have felt as free then had we been aware that every embarrassing thing we did could end up documented and shared.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
bitterross
(4,066 posts)What a stupid thing to bring up. How stupid are people that they think this remark really defines her and matters?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SunsetDreams2
(268 posts)Vice left out the video and so did the OP
Young people do sometimes make foolish and bad decisions. If you watch the video you can clearly see the context in which she speaks. But its so much fun I guess to spin it into a nefarious comment
https://m.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)we didn't have the Internet when I was in that age group!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
maxsolomon
(33,400 posts)"young adults sometimes make foolish choices" is not a controversial opinion. they do.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)Didn't Harris attack Biden for what he said and did decades ago?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)OK to attack Biden.
Not ok to attack Harris.
thanks
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
maxsolomon
(33,400 posts)distorting the context and intent of a pol's statements makes me insane no matter who it's done to.
I defended Romney's 47% comments on DU.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Vegas Roller
(704 posts)2015 was just yesterday
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
maxsolomon
(33,400 posts)nt
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Kaleva
(36,341 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SouthernProgressive
(1,810 posts)She has some good ideas in this area. Her "stupid" comment isn't one of them.
Watch for a whole new group to now double down agreeing with her and calling young people stupid.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Thekaspervote
(32,793 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)From a political POV, at what point does that voting block achieve the status others - like women and African-Americans - have? We would't say "stupid women" or "stupid black people.' We wouldn't call any voting block 'stupid' if we were courting their votes.
But stupid young people? I guess it's ok.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SouthernProgressive
(1,810 posts)I think there are much better ways to discuss why she was targeting young people.
They have been stripped of equal opportunity.
They are facing a punitive justice system that seems to have a goal of getting something on their record early.
We don't do enough to support their schools or to teach them a trade.
The list goes on.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
rogue emissary
(3,148 posts)but African American have been called dumb all the time on DU and by individual democratic supports.
From Pete's supports that routinely write "if only they listen to him" as they try to explain his zero percent support with us. To Sanders's supporters saying, "We don't know Bernie's records" as if older AA who voted for Hillary in '15 didn't research his voting history.
People call African Americans brainwashed, zombies, and just uninformed when we don't support their particular candidate. They might not use the word stupid, but they find a way to say we aren't informed or able to understand just how great their candidate would be for our community.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
wyldwolf
(43,869 posts)I've seen things like that but I don't give a rat's ass what the DU puritopians do. A national candidate doing it is something else entirely.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
rogue emissary
(3,148 posts)By political supporters and their candidates.
Bernie still spouts the ridiculous line "it's not enough to say vote for me I'm a women" as if any women running ever ran or said that.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
MicaelS
(8,747 posts)Who voted for Trump?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Meadowoak
(5,558 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
MicaelS
(8,747 posts)Never thought of that.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
at140
(6,110 posts)Earn 6 figure incomes. So why they would not vote for anyone who cut their taxes.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
drray23
(7,637 posts)I am not african American but my income is solidly 6 figures. Yet, I would never vote Republican, let alone for Trump even if it means cutting my taxes. Not everybody who is fortunate enough to be comfortable is also a selfish asshole Republican
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
at140
(6,110 posts)People like you who live by principles are the exception, when it comes to money.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)and that goes for both of them!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
onetexan
(13,058 posts)while i understand this was a poor choice of words, she was just being herself - very direct, though it does sound rather condescending.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,836 posts)to make them look bad or insensitive. She was making the absolutely correct point that young people often have poor judgment and get themselves into bad situations because they did something stupid, which young people do with regularity. I sure did, but was fortunate enough not to get caught or killed.
Isolating the comment that people that age are "stupid" is an obvious attempt to make Harris seem disrespectful toward young people (and turn them away from her), when in fact what she was trying to do was help them by protecting them from their own (scientifically proven) undeveloped judgment skills. Please, let's not do this.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
bluewater
(5,376 posts)From the OP article:
"The program, modeled on a similar initiative that Harris launched in San Francisco, would provide social services to young people 18 to 24 who were convicted of nonviolent felonies.
Why that population?
People that age are stupid, Harris told the audience.
Whats the other thing we know about this population? And its a specific phase of life. And remember, age is more than a chronological fact. What else do we know about this population, 18 through 24? They are stupid, Harris said, to wide laughs from the audience.
That is why we put them in dormitories, and they have a resident assistant. They make really bad decisions. So we focused on that age population. [...] When I was at Howard University, and we were in college, we were 18 to 24, and you know what we were called? College kids, Harris said with a loaded pause
.
"It was a joke," a spokesperson for the Harris campaign said of the candidate's remarks."
https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/qv79xq/kamala-harris-called-young-people-stupid-in-2015
Well, I would not have made that joke, personally. Poor choice of words that detracts from her actual point and gives fodder to potential right wing detractors.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
stonecutter357
(12,697 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skya Rhen
(2,701 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
tishaLA
(14,176 posts)when she starts imitating Indian accents like one of the "prime time" candidates.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
treestar
(82,383 posts)Cant believe there are complaints! Thus is tone deaf right ? We need youth turnout.
Looking fondly back and admitting we were stupid then is not going to feel the same way to people who are young right now.
Yes it is stupid to make a big deal of it. But double standards arent right either. So one who defended her versus Biden need to take this one in stride.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
jcgoldie
(11,645 posts)Sounds so terrible doesn't it? Oh and she is right.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
mopinko
(70,208 posts)spit for fuck sake.
and yes, the kids who are in the criminal justice system mostly are just stupid kids. in a system that pushes more and more for treating kids as adults, i give her kudos for standing against that
and what did she say after that, i wonder.
she was smart and fair and she saved young lives.
lets crucify her.
jebus people.
spit.it.out.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
qazplm135
(7,447 posts)every attorney in criminal law knows that.
Crimes little and crimes large, odds are the accused is going to be in that age range more often than not.
That's what she was talking about. Young people make an inordinate number of stupid decisions vice the older, and usually better versions of themselves.
Pretty sure young voters won't count themselves in the group she's talking about, and pretty sure they aren't running to Biden if they decide to take offense.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
oasis
(49,407 posts)in reference to Joe's apology for something he said waaaaay back 40 years ago.
She called young people "stupid"in 2015. She's gotta own it.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Kaleva
(36,341 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)This is a perfect example of taking a single statement by someone and expanding it into something more than it is.
It happens all the time. We shouldn't pay much attention to single words used in a single setting, especially if we don't have the context associated with the statement.
I don't know anyone over the age of about 30 who doesn't know that young people often do stupid things. If everyone who called people in that age group stupid were fired from their job, there would be way more job openings than people to fill them.
We need to stop parsing words candidates have said at one point or another. Doing that is also "stupid."
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Kaleva
(36,341 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
namahage
(1,157 posts)Take this little piece of ancient history, for instance:
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mbpxx8/biden-trashes-millennials-in-his-quest-to-become-even-less-likable
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Demit
(11,238 posts)"The younger generation now tells me how tough things are. Give me a break. No, no, I have no empathy for it. Give me a break."
Crushing student debt, difficulty finding a job that pays enough and provides health benefits, probably never being able to buy a housethose are the things that millennials know all too well and apparently Joe Biden doesn't. And when they tell him, not only does he not display his trademark empathy, he scoffs at them. A man for our time, not.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
58Sunliner
(4,398 posts)he should take a seminar from the police on proper methods of protesting so he wouldn't break the law. He replied, "yeah, that's who we're gonna protest about".
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Renew Deal
(81,871 posts)He was young and stupid when he was young and stupid. Probably the smartest thing he ever said.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Skya Rhen
(2,701 posts)as saying this about herself? I can guarantee not...
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Trenzalore
(2,331 posts)Most people make stupid mistakes when they are in their late teens to mid 20s.
I made a couple woppers but nothing criminal.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Voltaire2
(13,154 posts)Also, while it certainly can be used against her, in context it is both clear what she meant, and also simply a fact. Young people, especially males in that age range, are reckless. See auto insurance rates.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)with seriously at-risk youth, not wise or professional to assert youth is stupid, because as we know with Biden, anything can and will be misinterpreted despite your intent or the context.
But clearly she meant young people are impulsive and can make unwise choices. Sometimes when you get used to talking among yourselves as probation officers, cops, teachers for at-risk, in custodial situations, as with any profession, you use gallows humor, short-hand expressions you
understand among each other, etc.
She just brought that kind of talk to a wider audience in a different context. But I am pretty sure they understood what she meant.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
trev
(1,480 posts)fully develop until a person reaches his/her mid-twenties. It's not a matter of being stupid, but rather of being pliable.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
snowybirdie
(5,234 posts)Dredging up old quotes, out of context, to try and denigrate other candidates? Let's go higher DUrs!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SunsetDreams2
(268 posts)It seems to be the same handful of people keeping this stuff going
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
obamanut2012
(26,137 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SidDithers
(44,228 posts)Harris really must have hit the mark during the debates, for Uncle Joe's supporters to work so hard to go after her.
Sid
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)The troops got called up big time and a week and a half later, theyre still swarming.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
ecstatic
(32,731 posts)it might be more of a tit for tat thing. The vast majority of ridiculous attacks are geared towards Biden. This is what it looks like when everyone starts using the same silly standard of zero tolerance, zero gaffes, etc. It's going to get really ugly.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skittles
(153,193 posts)everyone knows that
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)I wouldn't have wanted to be told I was stupid.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
walkingman
(7,660 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hav
(5,969 posts)This won't and shouldn't hurt Harris, it was a program for the benefit of that age group so it's rather a plus. But it shows what kind of bs stories are out there and that a manufactured controversy can never be too stupid if it generates clicks.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ecstatic
(32,731 posts)Generally speaking, she's right. Some of my dumbest decisions were made during that age range, but I think I was at peak stupidity around 13 or 14. I did things that could have landed me in juvie. So perhaps she was a few years off in her broad brush?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,120 posts)No, no, I have no empathy for it. Give me a break."
Says Joe Biden in 2018, former VP and Millionaire running for President. Give me a break.
People that age are stupid.
Kudos to Kamala Harris
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Skya Rhen
(2,701 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,120 posts)Why that population?
People that age are stupid, Harris told the audience.
The woman was pushing to provide a program for kids who were stupid enough to commit crimes and been convicted. That's compassion, not "give me a break I had it harder than they did"
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
samnsara
(17,635 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
KayF
(1,345 posts)but it turns out that it's a good news story, it seems to be good info about an actual program, not just stirring shit. The dumb headline is just to get people to read it.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Princetonian
(1,501 posts)Let she who is without sin cast the first stone.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden