Mississippi Residents Upset Over Viral Video Of Man Describing Tornado
David Alexander is a survivor, not a meme.
Actually, I almost feel like a hypocrite writing this story and sharing his video—but my intentions aren't focused on making Mr. Alexander the next auto-tuned web star.
I decided to share David's video after I read the comments on the WLOX Facebook page.
Full disclosure: After reading their headline, I thought I was about to watch the first viral news interview of 2017—but after hearing the fear, adrenaline, and raw emotion in Alexander's video I began to ask myself "how is this funny?"
Then I went to the comments. One by one, people voiced their disappointment—not only towards the news station for sharing the video, but for those who were making fun of the man for the way he spoke in the video.
Why y'all are talking down to this man for his personality and embarrassed for how he represents south Mississippi. I'm over here wishing the best for the community's and people affected and for one am proud of his representation. Weather you from the hood, sticks,or town; it takes all of us to make up the great state of Mississippi. So for the ones ashamed of the man I hope you don't trip on your own two feet today! Yippie ki ya yay!!!!
Others sent blessings his way for trying to help his neighbors.
Shame on you #wlox for your intent in posting this video! You did this to exploit this guy who was traumatized over the events he just witnessed. Blessings to him for helping his neighbors.
We've seen viral sensations like Sweet Brown and Antoine Dodson become overnight celebrities thanks to catch phrases like "ain't nobody got time for that" and "hide ya kids, hide ya wife," but this interview with David Alexander didn't have any of that.
As a resident of Cajun country, I totally understand that people who aren't from the south think we all "talk funny," but there isn't anything funny about riding out a tornado in your home while it ravages your community. There really isn't anything funny about not being able to pull your neighbors out of the rubble.
I guess the easiest way to see what's wrong with promoting this as funny is imagining how we would feel if a similar video showed a "cajun" standing in floodwaters making a funny "wooshing" sound as he or she described the rising waters coming into their home.
Believe me, I know some folks (maybe you) are reading this saying "what a PC party pooper."
I completely understand how someone COULD think this was funny IF all they took away was the funny tornado sound effects that Alexander made when describing the tornado—but that would mean they totally ignored the parts where a man described being scared for his life while still trying to help his neighbors, all while standing in his ravaged community.
Regardless of what you think of me for writing this (lol), props to this dude—and hopefully his neighborhood can bounce back quickly.
By the looks of things, they are already on their way to recovery.
[via WLOX]