Memphis Mayor Paul Young's social media saga continues.
Following a Sept. 16 rant responding to online chatter alleging he is a "sellout," Young posted a video to his story the morning of Sept. 17, responding to the opposition he has been getting online and at public events.
"I really do hear you. I really do have the same concern," he can be heard saying in the post. "I love this city. I'm not trying to kill nobody."
The Sept. 17 Instagram story post is a clip of him speaking at an event, with a montage of him interacting with community members overlaid. While he didn't reference the original post explicitly, Young addresses the same notion of Memphians speaking poorly of him.
"I'm trying to figure out how do we get the resources that we need to finally
turn. Memphis has been the city that's almost there for so long ... and if it takes y'all saying these things about me and we still get there, I'm cool with that because I know where my heart is and I know what I'm working to do," he said.
The dialogue appears to be from an event hosted by Young, Gifted & Green, a national civil rights and environmental justice organization. But it was unclear exactly when the remarks were recorded.
It was also unclear exactly what kind of backlash Young was responding to.
In the original Sept. 16 post, Young said: "I have seen a number of misinformed, silly a** posts trying to paint me as a sellout the past few days. PY from Oakhaven wants to respond (because I have plenty to clap back with), but the God in me says to stay focused and keep doing the work."
And it made waves, too, sparking thousands of comments and posts across social media platforms.
A Sept. 15 Memphis City Council meeting might give some insight into Young's frustrations.
Dozens of residents gave public comments on various issues, including the recent ICE raid in Berclair where 121 people were detained, and a proposed ban on data center development that is seemingly stalling. Several members of the public called out elected officials by name in their remarks, including some comments directed at Young.
Young was expected to fundraise for his reelection campaign at an event in Washington, DC, on Sept. 17. The fundraiser will be held during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Conference, according to promotional information for the event.
Annie Goldman covers government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at annie.goldman@commercialappeal.com or 901-930-7431, and followed on X @AnnieSGoldman.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: 'Not trying to kill nobody': Paul Young posts Instagram response video
