Maxine Waters slams GOP attacks over ‘confrontational’ comment: ‘I am nonviolent’
In an exclusive interview with
theGrio, Waters dismissed suggestions that she was encouraging violence.
“I am nonviolent,” she said. The congresswoman, 82, said attempts to characterize her words and suggest otherwise is nothing more than a political tactic by the GOP.
“Republicans will jump on any word, any line and try to make it fit their message and their cause for denouncing us and denying us, basically calling us violent … any time they see an opportunity to seize on a word, so they do it and they send a message to all of the white supremacists, the KKK, the Oath Keepers, the [Proud] Boys and all of that, how this is a time for [Republicans] to raise money on [Democrats] backs,” Waters added.
“This is a time for [Republicans] to keep telling our constituents that [Democrats] are the enemy and they do that time and time again,” Waters said of what she described as a Republican strategy. “But that does not deter me from speaking truth to power. I am not intimidated. I am not afraid, and I do what needs to be done.”
Further clarifying her comments on being “confrontational,” the California congresswoman said “I talk about confronting the justice system, confronting the policing that’s going on, I’m talking about speaking up. I’m talking about legislation. I’m talking about elected officials doing what needs to be done to control their budgets and to pass legislation.”
She continued, “I am not worried that they’re going to continue to distort what I say. This is who they are and this is how they act. And I’m not going to be bullied by them.”
When asked if she’s worried about potential violence on American streets if former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is found not guilty in the death of Floyd, Waters said she is more concerned about the “disappointment and hopelessness” such a verdict would have on the Minneapolis community and Black communities across the country.
“I’m worried about the disappointment of particularly the young people and young Black males who are more and more frightened of the police, afraid to drive their cars when they see police coming and thinking that their lives will be in danger,” said Waters. “I’m afraid that it further helps to cement the feeling that somehow justice just does not work for us in America. And so whatever that causes, it will cause … I don’t know what will happen, but I know that disappointment and hopelessness is not a good thing.”
