A reporter for PBS found herself on the receiving end of backlash after she tweeted about Republican House candidate Madison Cawthorn’s speech during the party’s national convention this week.
“You can kneel before God but stand for our flag,” said Cawthorn, who was paralyzed as the result of a car accident. He won a primary earlier this year for White House chief of staff Mark Meadow’s former seat in the House.
PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor took offense to Cawthorn’s remarks, which she said were an apparent reference to kneeling protests by professional athletes in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and against police brutality.
Madison Cawthorn made it a point to stand, suggesting that all Americans to should stand during the pledge of allegiance & national anthem.
It was a direct rebuke of actions by ppl — including black athletes who are currently sitting out games — protesting police brutality.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) August 27, 2020
“Madison Cawthorn made it a point to stand, suggesting that all Americans to should stand during the pledge of allegiance & national anthem,” Alcindor tweeted. “It was a direct rebuke of actions by ppl — including black athletes who are currently sitting out games — protesting police brutality.”
Several conservative commentators rebuked the reporter’s sentiment.
Show us on the doll where the paraplegic who managed to stand touched you. https://t.co/ndykiGdNO3
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) August 27, 2020
Oh wow, hottest take of the night! https://t.co/Plme7Ifu45
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) August 27, 2020
If you thought, “certainly nobody could attack this man in a wheelchair for standing up at the end of his speech,” you haven’t met our completely insane White House press corps, currently viciously attacking a paralyzed man for not sharing their far-left political views. https://t.co/aDNqFg68hj
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) August 27, 2020
The final night of the 2020 Republican National Convention is Thursday.
