We Traced The Smears Against Kamala Harris To Obama Birthers And Neo-Nazis (Buzzfeed News)

Kirblar · Jun 28, 2019

An unfortunate reminder that Birtherism is what rose Trump in the GOP ranks and that it's not going t go away. And may get worse due to social media today due to being amplified by others, even ones outside of the typical alt-right/conspiracy theorist circles.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/craigsilverman/kamala-harris-black-citizenship

Not long after Sen. Kamala Harris challenged Joe Biden's record on race during part two of the first Democratic debate last night, a barrage of tweets questioned her race and US citizenship. While these claims erupted into national prominence last night, in part due to a quote-tweet from Donald Trump Jr., falsehoods about her have been long simmering in fringe conspiracy and neo-Nazi circles.

Just as Barack Obama's US citizenship and background became a full-fledged conspiracy theory — promoted at the time by Donald Trump — Harris has also been targeted with disinformation questioning her legitimacy as a US citizen and race. Obama birther conspiracy theorists and prominent neo-Nazis, including Andrew Anglin, have questioned her eligibility to run for president, and she's been labeled an "anchor baby."

In fact, Harris was born in Oakland to an Indian mother and Jamaican father, and is eligible to run for president.

"Seeing the tweets declaring that Kamala isn't black enough because her parents are from Jamaica and India, I had an immediate flashback to the 2008 campaign," Shauna Daly, who led the fight against online smears on the Obama campaign, told BuzzFeed News. That campaign faced an early wave of rumors about Obama's race and religion, which later coalesced into false claims about the president's birthplace whose most famous champion was Donald Trump.

Last night's tweets, some of which were amplified by bots and in one case by Trump Jr., gave a new level of exposure to earlier claims propagated by fringe websites and discredited figures such as Jacob Wohl and the virulent neo-Nazi Anglin.

As documented by social media researcher Caroline Orr, Harris's presence in the debate led to an onslaught of tweets that claimed she isn't black, was not born in the United States, and was raised in Canada. (Harris went to high school in Canada, but otherwise lived in the US.)

The sentiment that Harris is not an "American Black" was also expressed in a viral tweet — one that was briefly amplified by Trump Jr. (he later deleted his message):

The tweet's author is Ali Alexander, who previously went by the name Ali Akbar. He's a black MAGA-world personality who launched a website for other fringe Trump supporters unable to find a home in more traditional conservative media. Alexander recently joined Jacob Wohl and Laura Loomer on their trip to Minnesota to make a film about Rep. Ilhan Omar in which they floated conspiracies about her background. Hours after sending his viral tweet, Alexander followed up with a livestream to further explain his claim.

After Alexander sent his tweet, it was soon copied word for word and tweeted by a network of bot accounts previously identified by bot researcher Josh Russell.

One of the earliest attempts to paint her as ineligible for the presidency came in 2017 from a California man who has spent years pushing the false Obama birther conspiracy. Gary Wilmot wrote the senator a letter that year telling her she should withdraw from the race.

Wilmot's claims were also picked up by other Obama birth certificate conspiracy theorists. In August 2018, a website called the Post & Email published an article titled "Is Kamala Harris Eligible to Be President?" That site is run by Sharon Rondeau, whose bio says she is focused on "the Obama birth certificate investigation."

Among the first to falsely claim that her race and parents make her ineligible to run for president after she announced her candidacy was the Daily Stormer, an openly neo-Nazi website. Its founder, Andrew Anglin, claimed that Harris is "not an American" and said she does not belong in the country.

Deleted member 21709 · Jun 28, 2019

Turns out the internet was a mistake after all.

Good job Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, Youtube, ...

KillLaCam · Jun 28, 2019

Some of these bots are easy to see what they are

Dalek · Jun 28, 2019

808s & Villainy · Jun 28, 2019

Good thing twitter is rolling out a nifty tag feature instead of just banning them

SnakeXs · Jun 28, 2019

Her crime is being too black (ie at all) by virtue of... not being black enough?

Ah stupid "conservative" "logic".

Fucking trash people.

Finalrush · Jun 28, 2019

808s & Villainy said:
Good thing twitter is rolling out a nifty tag feature instead of just banning them

To be fair, the tag feature is for accounts that are "in the public interest" to keep up, like political accounts. These people can still be banned (but I mean...).

Absent · Jun 28, 2019

The About and Contact pages on patriots4truth.org don't list the owner, and the article containing the birth certificate did not have a byline. However, domain registration information from the website and metadata from the birth certificate both list the name Tyla Wells. Wells, who was once featured in a 40 under 40 feature by Crain's Detroit Business, did not respond to an email or phone call from BuzzFeed News.

The website registration information also lists her business, SchoolHouse Corporate. According to the Crain's Detroit Business profile, "she has helped establish two public-charter vocational high schools in the Detroit area."

Tyla, you got some splainin' to do.

Deleted member 6539 · Jun 28, 2019

Finalrush said:
To be fair, the tag feature is for accounts that are "in the public interest" to keep up, like political accounts. These people can still be banned (but I mean...).

They won't get banned. Jack is fond of the guys who's behind this.

https://www.newsweek.com/twitter-jack-dorsey-ali-akbar-alex-jones-tweets-1296747

In an interview with The Huffington Post, Dorsey was asked why he consulted with Alexander on the Jones decision and had some of the anti-Semitic tweets highlighted to him.
"I don't act on all of his comments," Dorsey said. "I listen, and I think that's the most important thing. I was introduced to him by a friend, and you know, he's got interesting points. I don't obviously agree with most. But, I think the perspective is interesting."

hydrophilic attack · Jun 28, 2019

well i heard rumblings that trump's camp identified her as a threat during the campaign last night. so maybe this is their first shot at trying to spread FUD

Spenny · Jun 28, 2019

People from Jamaica aren't black. Y'know you learn something new everyday.

Brinbe · Jun 28, 2019

yep, already see it all over twitter. same old shit

birtherism 2020, get ready for it.

the right is doing its work already. they're scared of her

SurrenderDorothy · Jun 28, 2019

edit:nvm, this ain't the place for it.

shadowkat · Jun 28, 2019

She's not black because she's half Indian?

So she's simultaneously not black enough, too black, probably too Indian, possibly not Indian enough and a woman.

Vas · Jun 28, 2019

KillLaCam said:
Some of these bots are easy to see what they are

THANK YOU FOR DEFENDING AMERICA, MR. PRESIDENT! BEST PRESIDENT EVER!

(AMERICAN FLAG EMOJI CHAIN)

Volimar · Jun 28, 2019

"She's Jamaican, not black."

mescalineeyes · Jun 28, 2019

leave it to wapo to legitimize this craziness.

cameron · Jun 28, 2019

Boosted by Jr:

southpaw@nycsouthpaw

And the President's son eagerly quote tweeted one of these accounts last night (before deleting), a phenomenon Mueller wrote about. https://twitter.com/gtconway3d/status/1144669873055903745 …

7:08 PM - Jun 28, 2019

George Conway@gtconway3d

The President of the United States made clear to the President of the Russian Federation today that this sort of thing is all in good fun. https://twitter.com/rvawonk/status/1144451342238408704 …

2:12 PM - Jun 28, 2019

Helen Kennedy @HelenKennedy

The president's dirtbag son tried a birther attack on Harris, but deleted it after an hour. (She was born in Oakland)

11:45 PM - Jun 27, 2019

DigitalOp · Jun 28, 2019

I need people to understand something....

When you see someone talk about "American Black" or ADOS or any of that shit..... Thats usually a fucking bot or white person.

Vast Majority of Black People aren't compartmentalizing or dividing our people up in categories, shit is bad enough already without stupid needless division

hurlex · Jun 28, 2019

Donald Trump Jr should be in jail

Brawly Likes to Brawl · Jun 28, 2019

Amazing how the one time white people stop believing in the One Drop Rule is whenever a mixed person is running for president.

Cipherr · Jun 28, 2019

DigitalOp said:
I need people to understand something....

When you see someone talk about "American Black" or ADOS or any of that shit..... Thats usually a fucking bot or white person.

Vast Majority of Black People aren't compartmentalizing or dividing our people up in categories, shit is bad enough already without stupid needless division

Preach. I have hated the whole ADOS thing solely because of its focus on separating us in yet another way. Seriously. Its made me sick since it started right after the landslide midterms.

Kirblar · Jun 28, 2019

Cipherr said:
Preach. I have hated the whole ADOS thing solely because of its focus on separating us in yet another way. Seriously. Its made me sick since it started right after the landslide midterms.

🤔🤔 🤔

Clydefrog · Jun 28, 2019

hurlex said:
Donald Trump Jr should be in jail

he is a disgusting human being

Acorn · Jun 28, 2019

Really hate this sort of shit. Gatekeeping who gets to keep their ethnicity, gross as hell.

DigitalOp · Jun 28, 2019

Brawly Likes to Brawl said:
Amazing how the one time white people stop believing in the One Drop Rule is whenever a mixed person is running for president.

You don't remember the "Hey! Hey!..... btw.... Obama's half white" in 2007?

Cipherr said:
Preach. I have hated the whole ADOS thing solely because of its focus on separating us in yet another way. Seriously. Its made me sick since it started right after the landslide midterms.

Yeah that ADOS shit is a complete maga op, white dudes making twitter accounts and posting that bullshit. It was sad to see the few black people get wrapped up, mainly hoteps

Cess007 · Jun 28, 2019

I know I shouldn't be even be reading some of those tweets, but one of them says that she's "jamaican american born in Canada", therefore she can't be black. How the fuck does that makes sense? You can't be black unless you are born in the USA?

Brawly Likes to Brawl · Jun 28, 2019

DigitalOp said:
You don't remember the "Hey! Hey!..... btw.... Obama's half white" in 2007?

Yeah that ADOS shit is a complete maga op, white dudes making twitter accounts and posting that bullshit. It was sad to see the few black people get wrapped up, mainly hoteps

That's what I'm talking about, starting with Obama, a pattern has been established.

mescalineeyes · Jun 28, 2019

Cess007 said:
I know I shouldn't be even be reading some of those tweets, but one of them says that she's "jamaican american born in Canada", therefore she can't be black. How the fuck does that makes sense? You can't be black unless you are born in the USA?

Also you'd think the nazis would wanna sell us on the idea that she's extra-extra black

or is this some 3D chess I'm missing

Kirblar · Jun 28, 2019

mescalineeyes said:
Also you'd think the nazis would wanna sell us on the idea that she's extra-extra black

or is this some 3D chess I'm missing

It's designed to depress black turnout/enthusiasm w/ conservative/xenophobic parts of that community.

mescalineeyes · Jun 28, 2019

Kirblar said:
It's designed to depress black turnout/enthusiasm w/ conservative/xenophobic parts of that community.

Bold strategy cotton.

you can tell people are shook. she was incredible last night.

Mammoth Jones · Jun 28, 2019

Hi Russia!

Emperor_El · Jun 28, 2019

DigitalOp said:
Yeah that ADOS shit is a complete maga op, white dudes making twitter accounts and posting that bullshit. It was sad to see the few black people get wrapped up, mainly hoteps

Between the Alt-Right & ADOS, Hoteps have a habit of rocking with people they should be fighting against. I guess their hatred of Kamala for being a "Swirler" is stronger than their Pan-Africanism.

Violence Jack · Jun 28, 2019

Almost nothing gets me more riled up, and ready to punch someone faster than people who talk about how "black" someone is. Had to face that shit my whole life by those shit-stains, and I hate to see it happen to someone like Harris just like I did with Obama.

Chaotic-Strike · Jun 28, 2019

It worked so well the first time for their base so they want a encore.

Akira86 · Jun 28, 2019

Emperor_El said:
Between the Alt-Right & ADOS, Hoteps have a habit of rocking with people they should be fighting against. I guess their hatred of Kamala for being a "Swirler" is stronger than their Pan-Africanism.

We're talking maybe enough people to fill a Waffle House.
which coincidentally may have been how this was all dreamt up.

AstronaughtE · Jun 28, 2019

mescalineeyes said:
Also you'd think the nazis would wanna sell us on the idea that she's extra-extra black

or is this some 3D chess I'm missing

It's an emotional wedge. It doesn't matter the point. Some will glob on and try to debate it some defend it. While others are grossed out and put off by the whole ordeal.

Foffy · Jun 28, 2019

Noticed the bot wars popped up when many accounts posted the same thing about Harris and they all said the same thing at the same time.

I'm not talking themes. Word for word.

People are scared of her after yesterday. Her and Warren got people shook.

bangai-o · Jun 28, 2019

They see the writing on the wall. Kamala is the primary contender.

cameron · Jun 28, 2019

Just asking questions.

NYT: Donald Trump Jr. Shares, Then Deletes, a Tweet Questioning Kamala Harris's Race

Mr. Trump, a valuable Republican surrogate as his father faces a bruising 2020 race, posted the tweet of unverified information, then asked his more than three million followers: "Is this true? Wow." By the end of the night, Mr. Trump had deleted his message, and by Friday, a spokesman said it had all been a misunderstanding.

"Don's tweet was simply him asking if it was true that Kamala Harris was half-Indian because it's not something he had ever heard before," said the spokesman, Andy Surabian, "and once he saw that folks were misconstruing the intent of his tweet, he quickly deleted it."

But by then, the original message, questioning the background of a presidential candidate who is of Indian and Jamaican descent, had already spread far and wide. For people like Mr. Alexander — an alt-right fringe figure who has also gone by the name Ali Akbar — the entire point of commenting was to go viral and counteract any progress made by a Democrat like Ms. Harris. She caught Joseph R. Biden Jr., the presumed front-runner, off guard on Thursday night by questioning his track record on race.

Because his tweet was elevated by valuable surrogates like the president's son, Mr. Alexander has become part of a loose network of accounts weaponized by the Trump campaign as part of its effort to discredit candidates.

Hey Please · Jun 28, 2019

That awkward moment when I say that not even I knew that Candidate Harris was black. For the longest time, I thought she was latino.

Anyway, more pointedly, I expect birtherism to come into play significantly given that she is not white. Because America has such a trash set up whereby literally any fucko can run for the highest public office, a position of responsibility that in private sector would require myriad bachelor's and master's degree, with the only qualification that they be born in America (imagine if private companies did this; a person's ability to be loyal and to perform his/her/their job for the highest public office is somehow determined by being born on American soil, what a joke).

Maximum Spider · Jun 28, 2019

I'm shocked!

Davilmar · Jun 28, 2019

DigitalOp said:
I need people to understand something....

When you see someone talk about "American Black" or ADOS or any of that shit..... Thats usually a fucking bot or white person.

Vast Majority of Black People aren't compartmentalizing or dividing our people up in categories, shit is bad enough already without stupid needless division

Not necessarily true. I've had Black Americans online and in person tell me I'm not a Black American, despite being born in Brooklyn. My family are Haitians, and a lot of these people are deep into Umair Johnson, Collette Whateverhernameis, and other people. Never thought I've had other Black Americans tell me I'm not an American.

Big Hoops · Jun 28, 2019

There's enough awfulness surrounding her, dragging her for her race is silly.

DigitalOp · Jun 28, 2019

Davilmar said:
Not necessarily true. I've had Black Americans online and in person tell me I'm not a Black American, despite being born in Brooklyn. My family are Haitians, and a lot of these people are deep into Umair Johnson, Collette Whateverhernameis, and other people. Never thought I've had other Black Americans tell me I'm not an American.

Umar? They hoteps dawg. Never allow anyone to categorize you in that manner. It's the most ignorant shit.

Blackness as a whole is what gets attacked. No Cop, Politician, or Nazi give a fuck where we from forreal haha

Deleted member 6949 · Jun 28, 2019

It's still mindblowing to me that Trump's birther bs was proven to be bullshit and the media still treated him like a real candidate in the election. Every time hos name was mentioned it should have been followed with an explanation that he was proven to be a lying racist.

Dreezy · Jun 28, 2019

Right around the same time Donald Trump said to Putin "don't meddle in our election *wink wink nudge nudge*"

Merc_ · Jun 28, 2019

Davilmar said:
Not necessarily true. I've had Black Americans online and in person tell me I'm not a Black American, despite being born in Brooklyn. My family are Haitians, and a lot of these people are deep into Umair Johnson, Collette Whateverhernameis, and other people. Never thought I've had other Black Americans tell me I'm not an American.

Yeah, those are hoteps, dude. They're our communities own personal equivalent of the alt right grifters. Don't ever take those fuckheads seriously.

$10 Bagel · Jun 28, 2019

She's not black she's just Jamaican.

Oh.

What the fuck are Jamaicans then? This whole time I thought they were black.

KtotheRoc · Jun 28, 2019

They are absolutely terrified of her.

We Traced The Smears Against Kamala Harris To Obama Birthers And Neo-Nazis (Buzzfeed News)

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