Oklahoma Meteorologist Fired over ‘Hang in There’ Riddle Depicting Noose
Jessica Chasmar, Washington Times, February 12, 2019
An ABC-affiliated news station in Oklahoma fired a meteorologist Monday after viewers complained about a brain teaser aired by the employee that included a drawing of a noose.
“On Monday morning, one of our employees at KSWO-TV displayed an image that was offensive and unacceptable,” the Lawton station’s management team said in a statement posted to Facebook. “At KSWO, we do not tolerate behavior of any kind that depicts hatred, social injustice, racism or anti-Semitism.”
The post has received of thousands of angry comments calling on the station to reinstate meteorologist Mandy Bailey, who is accused of playing a word game on air that showed the word “THERE” with a noose hanging between the “T” and the “H.”
The answer was “hang in there,” but some viewers reportedly complained the noose was racially insensitive or making light of suicide.
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A Facebook group called “BOYCOTT KSWO” gained nearly 2,500 members as of Tuesday afternoon. A Change.org petition urging the station to “bring back” Ms. Bailey also fetched more than 600 signatures.
