Yesterday, Donald Trump introduced he’ll nominate Tulsi Gabbard for Director of Nationwide Intelligence. If she is confirmed, she’ll change into not solely the primary Samoan to land the place but in addition the primary particular person of colour.
When you’re not aware of Tulsi: She was born in American Samoa and grew up in Hawai‘i, the place she turned the primary Samoan American Congressmember. After serving within the Hawaii Military Nationwide Guard for 17 years, she joined the US Military Reserve in 2020. Again in 2016, she endorsed Bernie Sanders for president, and in 2020, she turned the primary Samoan to run for president. All through most of her political profession, Tulsi was outspoken about progressive points like defending abortion rights and banning assault weapons.
I used to be keen about politics in faculty and interned for a California senator. Throughout this time, Tulsi Gabbard was somebody I seemed as much as — a Samoan Democratic girl, similar to me! In a rustic with so little Pacific Islander illustration, she made me really feel like something was potential.
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Think about my distraught when Tulsi pivoted on so a lot of her positions during the last a number of years. Abortion rights? She supported the Supreme Courtroom’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and referred to as it “making progress in limiting the jurisdiction of the federal authorities.” Banning assault weapons? Her view has developed due to a “a lot deeper and higher appreciation for our founders’ intent for the Second Modification.” She left the Democratic Celebration in 2022 and spent two years as an Impartial earlier than becoming a member of the Republican Celebration final month. Although she herself endorsed Biden in 2020, she has taken to repeatedly and bizarrely evaluating him to Adolf Hitler.
Clearly, she’s now a Trump supporter. She endorsed him this summer time, saying, “I’m dedicated to doing all that I can to ship President Trump again to the White Home, the place he can as soon as once more serve us as our commander-in-chief. As a result of I’m assured that his first process can be to do the work to stroll us again from the brink of struggle.” She’s additionally been accused of spreading conspiracy theories and has change into one thing of a conservative media darling.
It is heartbreaking to see how a lot Tulsi has modified. TBH, it looks like a betrayal. I am often somebody who goes out of my solution to assist different Pacific Islanders, however that is one thing I can not assist.
To suppose that she might change into the very best stage of political illustration for Pacific Islanders on this nation? All I can say is that this: Tulsi, you do not symbolize me.
What do you consider all this? LMK within the feedback beneath.
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