Vice President Kamala Harris compared restrictions on abortion to America’s history of chattel slavery during a speech on Monday at the NAACP’s national convention.
"We know, NAACP, that our country has a history of claiming ownership over human bodies," Harris said after criticizing the Supreme Court's June ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. "And today, extremist so-called leaders are criminalizing doctors and punishing women for making health care decisions for themselves."
Harris’s remarks were met with faint applause.
The vice president’s speech aligns with the rhetoric of both left-wing activists and media outlets. MSNBC has alleged a connection between pro-life policies and slavery, and the ACLU wants to legalize abortion up to birth in order to "end forced pregnancy." Harris’s tenure as vice president has been marred by awkward gaffes and poorly worded statements.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stood by Harris’s comments during a press conference on Monday.
"She is correct," Jean-Pierre said. "Today’s decisions are criminalizing doctors and essentially taking the rights away from women, taking the freedom away from women. Really taking away people’s privacy."