In an interview published Wednesday, Rep. Maxine Waters explained why she rejects the term “rioting” in describing violent protests, saying that the word is part of “negative language used far too often in a description of black people by folks who fundamentally don’t see black people the same way they see whites and others.”
Waters spoke to The Cut about her “longtime fight over the language of insurrection and unrest versus rioting” and told the outlet that the unrest in recent days brought her to reflect on “what was going on back in the day, when I was confronting Daryl Gates, starting when the police shot Eula Love, which brought me in contact with the police commission and brought me to taking a look at what was going on with police community relations” years ago.
She also spoke about her experience with Gates, Los Angeles’s former police chief, and explained how those events shaped her view of the “negative language” used today.
“A lot of negative language gets used against black people, describing what whites often believe is true about us: that language includes ‘lazy,’ ‘criminal,’ and ‘rioting,’” Waters told the outlet.
This week Waters formally endorsed Joe Biden after stating that President Trump is “goading confrontation.” She also claimed that Trump is “not only talking about killing black people, he’s talking about killing young white children.”
People on social media didn’t wait long to respond to Maxine so they brutally blasted her ridiculous rhetoric with numerous posts.
“Maxine Waters is a professional hatemonger & race-baiter who should be removed from Congress. She repeatedly stands in the way of any opportunity 2 bring the races together,” tweeted “Elli Martin.”
“What word would she like to use. Why would she disrespect law-abiding black citizens who stand against rioting? I’m sick to death of this crazy talk!” tweeted Veronica Birkenstock.
“Truth hurts, but it’s descriptive of rioters. Not black ppl Or is she saying only black ppl riot? The PC Police are insane,” tweeted Elizabeth Howe.
“Good Gawd does this beast ever do anything productive?” tweeted Cherie Buckingham.
