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."
Twitter was not amused...
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
After Meyer deleted the offending Tweet, she sent out another Tweet apologizing for what she had written...
And apologized again...
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.
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.