Vivek Ramaswamy who campaigns for republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy got into a heated confrontation with a young African-American woman, who he claimed was a Kamala Harris supporter over the topic of “systemic racism.”
The conversation began with the young woman questioning Ramaswamy’s views on America’s greatness, especially as a person of color herself. “For you, as a man of color, when exactly was America great?” she asked, asking if he would be willing to return to a specific period in history. Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur turned political candidate, responded in the affirmative, citing the years 2016 to 2020 as an example of a period he would look back on, insisting that, despite its faults, America has been ” great” throughout its history.
Ramaswamy acknowledged America’s historical injustices, including slavery, redlining, and Jim Crow laws, but maintained that these did not negate his perception of the nation’s overall greatness. “Was America perfect? ​​No. Was America great? Yes, it was,” he said. This response prompted a new set of questions from the young woman, who argued that America has not provided fair opportunities for African Americans, especially African American women like her, who are face persistent challenges in achieving their professional goals.

In a pointed exchange, the young woman declared her goal of becoming a criminal defense attorney, noting that African Americans make up only a small percentage of lawyers in the United States. Ramaswamy, however, rephrased the question, stating that he believed more in personal effort. that systemic barriers, largely determines success in America. “I believe the number one factor that determines your success in this country is not the color of your skin,” he said. “It’s about whether or not you put effort into doing what you want.”
When the conversation turned to the topic of discrimination, Ramaswamy suggested that political bias might now play a larger role in career barriers than racial discrimination, saying that supporters of conservative views, particularly those associated with Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign, faced discrimination at levels beyond racial prejudice. He shared the anecdote of an employee who was allegedly reprimanded for wearing a red sweater, seen as symbolizing political allegiance, to illustrate the intolerance he said is encouraged in some professional environments.
Throughout his campaign, Ramaswamy constantly questioned the concept of systemic racismarguing that affirmative action, rather than promoting equity, inadvertently perpetuates racial divisions. In this exchange, he suggested that positive action The policies have contributed to a resurgence of anti-Black sentiment, as some individuals assume that minorities are assigned professional roles due to racial quotas rather than merit. He advocated for a “color-blind meritocracy” as the ideal solution to achieving true equality.