• 5 months ago
Vice President Kamala Harris delivered remarks on Thursday at the American Federation of Teachers' 88th National Convention where she spoke about book bans and assault weapons.

Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:

https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript


Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Transcript
00:00Ours is a fight for the future, and ours is a fight for freedom.
00:07In this moment across our nation, we witness a full-on attack on hard-won, hard-fought
00:14freedoms.
00:16While you teach students about democracy and representative government, extremists attack
00:25the sacred freedom to vote.
00:28While you try to create safe and welcoming places where our children can learn, extremists
00:37attack our freedom to live safe from gun violence.
00:42They have the nerve to tell teachers to strap on a gun in the classroom.
00:49While they refuse to pass common-sense gun safety laws.
01:00And while you teach students about our nation's past, these extremists attack the freedom
01:08to learn and acknowledge our nation's true and full history, including book bans.
01:17Book bans in this year of our Lord 2024.
01:25And on these last two issues, on these last two issues, just think about it.
01:30So we want to ban assault weapons, and they want to ban books.
01:38Can you imagine?
01:43All the while, these extremists also attack the freedom to love who you love openly and
01:49with pride.
01:56They pass so-called don't-say-gay laws.
01:59Now I have to tell you, so many of you may know, in 2004, on Valentine's Day weekend,
02:10I was one of the first elected officials in the country to perform same-sex marriages.
02:23So here's the thing.
02:26It pains me so to think 20 years later that there are some young teachers in their 20s
02:36who are afraid to put up a photograph of themselves and their partner for fear they
02:41could lose their job.
02:44And what is their job?
02:45The most noble of work, teaching other people's children.
02:49And God knows we don't pay you enough as it is.
02:57In this moment, we are in a fight for our most fundamental freedoms.
03:04And to this room of leaders, I say, bring it on.
03:09Bring it on.
03:10Bring it on.

Recommended