Yamiche Alcindor shows double standard about inciting violence
April 21, 2021
PBS White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor proved she had double standards regarding what “inciting violence” looks like coming from high-ranking officials.
Alcindor excused Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), an 82-year-old congressional veteran, for her comments about the Derek Chauvin trial.
Here is the full exchange between Waters and the reporter:
Waters: “We are looking for a guilty verdict. We’re looking for a guilty verdict, and we’re looking to see if all of the talk that took place and has been taking place after they saw what happened to George Floyd. If nothing does happen, then we know that we’ve got to not only stay in the street, but we’ve got to fight for justice. But I am very hopeful, and I hope that we’re going to get a verdict that’ll say, guilty, guilty, guilty. And if we don’t, we cannot go away.”
Reporter: “And not just manslaughter right — I mean?”
Waters: “No, no not manslaughter. No, no, no this is guilty for murder. I don’t know whether it’s in the first degree, but as far as I’m concerned its first-degree murder.”
Reporter: “Ms. Congresswoman, what happens if we do not get what you just told. What should people do, what should protesters on the street do?”
Waters: “I didn’t hear you.”
Reporter: “What should protesters do?”
Waters: “Well, we gotta stay on the street, and we’ve got to get more active, we’ve got to get more confrontational. We’ve got to make that they know that we mean business.” (emphasis added)
The most noted part of the exchange, besides the lack of knowledge of charges, was, “we’ve got to get more confrontational.”
As major cities geared up for riots following a verdict of acquittal, this statement was added fuel to the fire and was a public safety risk.
Yamiche Alcindor vouched for Waters in a tweet, saying, “Eric Nelson is now using Rep Maxine Waters saying that protesters should get ‘more active’ & ‘more confrontational’ if Derek Chauvin isn’t convicted as a reason for a mistrial to be declared. He’s claiming she threatened violence.
“Fact check: Waters did not threaten violence.”
Eric Nelson is now using Rep Maxine Waters saying that protesters should get “more active” & “more confrontational” if Derek Chauvin isn’t convicted as a reason for a mistrial to be declared. He’s claiming she threatened violence.
Fact check: Waters did not threaten violence.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) April 19, 2021
In January, after the riot at the U.S. Capitol by his supporters, Alcindor accused then President Donald J. Trump of inciting violence.
Here is an excerpt from Trump’s speech before the riot:
“Now, it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy. And after this, we’re going to walk down, and I’ll be there with you, we’re going to walk down, we’re going to walk down.
“Anyone you want, but I think right here, we’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them.
“Because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated, lawfully slated.
“I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” (emphasis added)
In contrast to her views on Maxine Waters incendiary comments, the PBS reporter reiterated on Twitter and television that she believed President Trump’s words incited violence.
On a PBS News Hour with Judy Woodruff, Alcindor reacted to an address by Trump condemning the violence at the Capitol, stating in response to his words,
“No, no acknowledgment,” Alcindor said. “He doesn’t take any responsibility or express any sort of regret or saying that he is sorry to the American people, despite all that we have experienced.”
She contributed her opinion on Twitter, claiming that “President Trump condemning violence and says mob violence goes against everything he believes in.
“But both Republicans and Democrats, in impeaching him today, made it clear that they believe this comes too late and only after Trump incited a riot at the Capitol.”
President Trump condemning violence and says mob violence goes against everything he believes in.
But both Republicans and Democrats, in impeaching him today, made it clear that they believe this comes too late and only after Trump incited a riot at the Capitol. https://t.co/5Lf8SfdwTQ
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) January 13, 2021
Alcindor does not appear to hold consistent standards on what speech incites violence and has not issued any acknowledgment of her hypocritical standards.