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Journalist's West Virginia Joke Enrages Twitter

Journalist's West Virginia Joke Enrages Twitter

WestNet News wire Source: HuffPost

Detroit Free Press journalist Zlati Meyer calls herself a "humorist" and a "nonconformist" on Twitter.

But Twitter wasn't having her sense of humor Monday night. As a water crisis that has left as many as 300,000 unable to drink, shower or cook with water stretched into a sixth day, Meyer posted this joke about West Virginia.

The Tweet read, "#WestVirginia has its tainted water problem under ctrl. Now, it can work on incest."

Fellow WVians...this @freep reporter needs to be properly reprimanded. Use #HasZlatiLandedYet to share/discuss. pic.twitter.com/e8h2iZZRfk

— Ric Cavender (@RicCavender) January 14, 2014

Twitter was not amused...

@Zlatimeyer My family is from Detroit and moved to WV. I don’t really think that counts as a “joke.” Just pure disgraceful bigotry.

— Ry Rivard (@ryrivard) January 14, 2014

.@Zlatimeyer My 4 yr old child ingested this chemical before we were warned and you want to use outdated stereotypes on us?

— 🏈 EERSNATION 🏀 (@EERSNATION) January 14, 2014

Other journalists in West Virginia called Meyer out for what she wrote.

@Zlatimeyer I hope your apology is sincere. As a native WVian, I can assure you that "offensive" doesn't even begin to describe that tweet.

— Jessie Shafer WOWK (@JessieShafer) January 14, 2014

.@Zlatimeyer I hope you are fired from your job for that comment. There are NO excuses for what you just said about my people.

— Dave Mistich (@davemistich) January 14, 2014

After Meyer deleted the offending Tweet, she sent out another Tweet apologizing for what she had written...

I realize the people of #WestVirginia have been going through a lot. My joke was in very poor taste. I can't apologize enough.

— Zlati Meyer (@Zlatimeyer) January 14, 2014

And apologized again...

I've removed the original tweet about #WestVirginia. Again, I apologize.

— Zlati Meyer (@Zlatimeyer) January 14, 2014

That didn't stop Twitter from making its own hashtag: #hasZlatilandedyet, after #hasjustinelandedyet, the hashtag made for Justine Sacco, who typed an offensive joke about AIDS before boarding an 11-hour flight to South Africa.

Fellow WVians...this @freep reporter needs to be properly reprimanded. Use #HasZlatiLandedYet to share/discuss. pic.twitter.com/e8h2iZZRfk

— Ric Cavender (@RicCavender) January 14, 2014

Looks like someone didn't learn from Justine Sacco's Twitter mistake... (@Zlatimeyer) pic.twitter.com/uhOuLEzmfD

— Laurél Slone (@rel1401) January 14, 2014

Stefanie Murray, assistant managing editor/digital media for the Detroit Free Press, declined to discuss personnel matters regarding the newspaper on Twitter. But there were many suggestions that Meyer be reprimanded or fired for her comment.

@Zlatimeyer I hope you are crying yourself to sleep tonight as you watch your career go up in flames. #WestVirginia

— Matt Moran (@iAmMattMoran) January 14, 2014

Some Twitter users suggested Meyer should visit West Virginia to see beyond the stereotypes...

@Zlatimeyer Come to WV to experience the beauty and splendor that the Mountain State has to offer. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

— Jason Morar (@JasonMorar) January 14, 2014

I'm serious. I want to see you go to WV & volunteer. I want you to help make sure the elderly have water to drink in their homes @Zlatimeyer

— Tyler Murray (@TylerWMurray) January 14, 2014

Others shrugged off Meyer's insult.

They thought being a journalist in Detroit was punishment enough.

I'd say @freep's @Zlatimeyer has bad karma headed her way but she's already in Detroit. How much worse could it get? pic.twitter.com/jgFd4kjEw5

— Alamo Nation (@Alamo_Nation) January 14, 2014