PBS' White House correspondent, Yamiche Alcindor, is a known liberal hack, but her recent attempt to stir up controversy against U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams is a new low.
It started when Vice Admiral Adams encouraged minorities on Friday to lay off on alcohol, drugs, and smoking during the pandemic, as minorities, especially African-Americans, have seen the highest deaths from the Wuhan coronavirus within the United States.
"We need you to do this if not for yourself than for your abuela. Do it for your granddaddy, do it for your big momma, do it for your pop-pop," Adams said.
After his remarks, Alcindor tweeted at 2:29 p.m. that "some will find this language offensive."
US Surgeon General Jerome Adams says black, Latino & other people of color should "avoid alcohol, tobacco and drugs." "We need you to step up," he says.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) April 10, 2020
Some will find this language offensive after Adams stressed that behavior was not the issue for why more black ppl are dying.
At 2:32 p.m., a whole three minutes later, Alcindor then tweeted how "many" people found Adams' choice of words to be "highly offensive" without providing evidence.
Jerome Adams, U.S. Surgeon General, tells black people, Latinos and other ppl of color to avoid alcohol and drugs and adds: "Do it for your abuela, do it for your grandaddy, do it for your Big Mama, do it for your pop pop."
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) April 10, 2020
Context: Many found this language highly offensive.
Alcindor went on to question Adams about his call to action for minorities.
Our media is so eager to create controversy, one reporter just basically hinted that the black surgeon general was being racist when he said "big momma" and "pop pop." pic.twitter.com/s9wQHOFYq1
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) April 10, 2020
Now, some on social media aside from Alcindor did voice their criticisms against Adams. But many, if not all, occurred after Alcindor stated how "many" were offended. In other words, she gambled for something to have happened as a fact before it was confirmed to have happened and won. Keep in mind, Alcindor reported on Adams' words via a tweet without video, which often leads to a loss of nuance and context.
As a Latino myself, I did not find the appeal to be problematic at all because I know of the unhealthy habits that are common within the Hispanic community. Likewise, Adams knows how devastating COVID-19 can be to people with underlying conditions or whose bodies are not in the best of shape because of unhealthy habits, which in turn can be harder for their immune system to fight off the virus.
At a time when the country is facing a crisis that has been tough beyond words for Americans, it's irresponsible for members of the media to gin up racial controversy over something that was not racially controversial to begin with.
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