CBS Gets Heat For Calling Accident Survivor Returning to Work Due to Lack of Resources ‘Heartwarming’
A CBS News story out of Indiana aimed to warm hearts but ended up heating some tempers, too.
The quick story is about a teen named Jakeem Tyler, who went straight back to work at Chick-Fil-A after a car accident left his arm in a sling and his neck in a brace. The teen told a customer that he needed the money and wanted to feed the homeless over the holidays, which led the customer to launch a fundraiser for him. (It is currently nearing $20,000 in donations, which far surpasses the original $2,500 goal.)
They tweeted the story out, called it “heartwarming,” and probably thought nothing of it, but Twitter users weren’t impressed that the news company was lauding a kid who “needs the money” for not being able to take adequate time to take care of himself.
They responded thusly:
@CBSNews “Enjoy this charming tale of an American man with the flu who had no more sick days. Now, his entire office will be sick on Xmas!”
— Gavin Jurgens-Fyhrie (@GavinEtc) December 13, 2016
“Enchanting account of a naturalized citizen overcoming the bigotry of the patrons of his workplace to make ends meet”@GavinEtc @CBSNews
— DC (@DuJuan_Daniels) December 13, 2016
Being broke as fuck with no PTO so you gotta work in a neck brace and your arm in a sling is the opposite of heartwarming. https://t.co/QDhCchb8e9
— Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) December 13, 2016
@ThePabloPerez @CBSNews he should be getting PTO so he doesn’t have to worry about work.
— Kat K. (@EbyKat) December 13, 2016
@CBSNews he probably should be able to take some paid time off but hey someone told me capitalism is good so whatever
— Bryan (@bryanfrank92) December 13, 2016
a kid having to work immediately after almost dying to afford Christmas presents isn’t that heartwarming https://t.co/O8hlqRJybr
— pelus (@apeloos) December 13, 2016
@CBSNews this is heartbreaking. Not heartwarming. The poor kid!!!!! ?
— Aunt Sheila (@Shelouise) December 13, 2016
@CBSNews And by “heartwarming”, you mean “cold, dark, capitalist lack of sufficient sick leave to recover from a car accident”, right?
— .noncompliant. (@djshiva) December 13, 2016
@CBSNews ITS NOT HEART WARMING. He knows he needs the money or he might get fired even being injured after a car accident!
— BECKX (@Beckxstarling) December 13, 2016
Spoiler alert: it’s ruthless capitalism. Saved you a click. https://t.co/tFz2T9L3Al
— gold star bisexual (@betherwisser) December 14, 2016
@CBSNews Probably like many of us he has been so exploited by Capitalism that he couldn’t take time off to heal if he wanted to.
— Andrew Whatever (@xvszero) December 13, 2016
They would’ve been fired and replaced for not showing up for work because thats how 90% of America’s workforce is treated. “Heartwarming” https://t.co/REXNsGd8lN
— Light Bapper Mom (@Kingdomcub) December 14, 2016
Nah, this is indicative of society failing the working poor and homeless. This is straight up heartbreaking. Wtf is wrong w/ you, @CBSNews?
— Emily Jo Testa (@thelimejoy) December 13, 2016
@Barca10333 @CBSNews yep, I remember politicians in the 99s celebrating how hardworking Americans were because the multiple jobs thing
— Donald Braden (@LilDonnyB) December 13, 2016
@CBSNews this is heartbreaking. This is a dire economic reality for real human beings, not a made for TV movie.
Shame on you.
— Kevin (@IAmKevinBates) December 13, 2016
@CBSNews wtf? Look, I shouldn’t have to tell pro writers this but you’re using words wrong, here: https://t.co/m8QKfDWdL8
— Jingle Suzu (@Dead_Suzi) December 13, 2016
@CBSNews Please amend this. Nothing is heartwarming about a seriously injured person without time to heal from his injuries. You know this.
— Nira vs The Rapture (@nirahyman) December 14, 2016
@CBSNews Stop romanticizing poverty. This is sad. Poverty is traumatic. It’s hard. There’s nothing heartwarming here
— Numbered Savage (@honestyredacted) December 14, 2016
@CBSNews “The heart-warming truth about American businesses and how they force people to work with a neck brace on, or not get paid”
— *MemberBerries?* (@2seegullies) December 14, 2016
There are no tweets in support of CBS or their characterization of the story in the replies to the tweet. It just goes on like that as people continue to share their thoughts on capitalism and the glorification of overworking American employees.
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