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When a hurricane is forecast for an area there are mandatory evacuations that are placed in areas where the storm will have a very strong impact.

Most people will heed the word of authorities and will pack up and leave.

While the local news will cover those people, you can bet your bottom dollar that they will also do a story on some guy that will not evacuate and is content on “riding the storm out”.

Should TV news give these idiots time on the newscasts?

Here’s the problem….

By putting these people on TV, they are making them local celebrities and basically telling people that when the next storm rolls around, if they “ride it out” and refuse to evacuate, they can become a TV star as well.

Here’s another problem…

Say Channel X has highlighted a guy, we’ll call Jim Bob.

They go live to Channel X Reporter Scoop Newsworthy who is standing by with Jim Bob.

Scoop?

Scoop Newsworthy: Thanks Kelly, the sheriff has ordered everyone in this neighborhood to evacuate and then have said that those that choose to stick around are taking their lives into their own hands. One of those that has decided not to leave and ride out the storm is Jim Bob. Jim, why are you not going to leave?

Jim Bob: I’ve been going through hurricanes for 40 years and I ain’t never left my home and I ain’t about to on this one neither.

Scoop: The forecast is for winds over 130mph and your double wide trailer can only handle winds up to 50, don’t you think you should leave?

Jim Bob: Nope, cause I put an old mattress on the north wall of my trailer and that should just about hold things in place.

Scoop: So there is nothing that will make you leave during this storm?

Jim Bob: Nothing short of the great President Trump personally asking me to do so. No sir. I’m here for good.

Scoop: So there you have it….while all his neighbors have left, Jim Bob says he is riding out the hurricane and says he has enough Pringles to last him 5 days. We’ll check back after the storm and see how he did. Kelly?

Now, because Jim Bob has been featured on the news, he feels no matter what he’s obligated to stay in his trailer and ride out the storm.

No matter how bad it gets, he knows that the news station is coming back after the storm to see how he did? It would not look go to his friends if he bailed out? So, he decides to stay even as the storm starts ripping apart his home.

The day after the storm, Jim Bob is found dead in the wreckage of his trailer under a black light poster of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Do you think that Channel X might be a bit responsible for his death?

After all they highlighted as the guy that was going to “ride out the storm.”

Think about it the next time you decide to make some idiot, not smart enough to evacuate into a hero.

You don’t want Jim Bob’s blood or anyone else’s on your hands.

Be smart with your coverage and don’t shine the spotlight on stupid people.

Just saying….