As Election Day is upon us, residents around Greater Los Angeles say they’re hopeful for a historic Kamala Harris presidency, but others say they don’t think they can vote for Harris or former President Donald Trump due disagreements over abortion rights and the war in Gaza.
Dr. Lance Roberts, a former Cerritos College adjunct and decorated professor since 1989, believes LA County is beyond ready for Harris to break the highest glass ceiling in the country.
“As Gerald Ford once said; for a woman to become president, she’d first have to be vice president,” Roberts with a smile concluded. “If you look at the polls, most of the L.A county will vote for Kamala because LA is a blue county.”
Dr. Roberts, who currently teaches at LA Southwest College, says that he is ready for a woman to be in office and believes reproductive rights are also on the ballot. When asked how he feels about abortion rights, Roberts mentioned that despite claims that abortions have no restrictions, they did under Roe v. Wade.
“Even if you have the right to abortion, it’s still going to be restricted. The same goes with all other rights having restrictions.”
Concerning the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, Roberts said that Harris’ gender shouldn’t matter as U.S. foreign policy should rise above those differences.
“President-informed policies are what matter because they support allies and protect human interests. It doesn’t matter if it’s a male or female as president, there’s not much difference.”
Clarence King, who is also known as Grandpa Minnor, is a preacher and Jehovah’s Witness for over 33 years, traveling the streets to evangelize to local residents. . King, who also happens to be the grandfather of Grammy nominated rapper and singer Blxst, helps others in need and practices what he preaches with a dash of jaw dropping catch phrases.
King said he can’t side with either Harris or Trump in 2024.
“One’s a six, the other is half a dozen,”he said.
He disagrees with both candidates when it comes to global developments, therefore, he is not participating in this election. With King being religious, he doesn’t believe in abortion because he prioritizes his interpretation of the Bible. He believes Trump and Harris are both pro-choice when it comes to the people, therefore, leaving King no choices in the election.
In Downtown LA, amidst the chants of Dodgers fans winning the World Series, Angelenos say they’re more concerned about Project 2025, the political initiative authored by the American think tank Heritage Foundation to promote conservative and right-wing policies for the federal government under a second Trump administration.
Inside Grand Central Market, Dodgers fan Stephany Aldrete, said the plan makes her nervous.
“I haven’t looked completely into it because I fear what it can do to our democratic nation. Fear is one of the reasons I will not vote for Trump,” she said with a nervous smile. “The fact that he has money to control doesn’t sit right [with me].”
She emphasized Trump’s amount of felony counts flabbergasted as to why he isn’t in jail and able to run for presidency. She also went on to voice her disagreement with Trump’s immigration policy.
Her being of Mexican descent, Aldrete fears his policy would impact her family significantly.
