Note to NPR: Bite me.
This morning on my way in to work, I heard this story on Morning Edition about medical readiness in the National Guard. Renee Montagne intro'ed the story with this:
The American fighting force in Iraq includes 49,000 citizen soldiers from Reserve and National Guard units. But thousands of others stay home, declared unfit for duty due to inadequate health care before they're mobilized.
Among them is Scott Jones, 34, of Columbus, Miss. A 14-year National Guard tank crewman, Jones is desperate to serve in Iraq, because he'd double his civilian income as a handyman and get full family health insurance -- leaving him, his wife and their six children better off than before.
Oh good. A soldier from Mississippi with six kids. I don't think I've heard this story before.
I wasn't 60 seconds into the story before I realized that this report had more Southern stereotypes than "Sweet Home Alabama."
Let's see...
- Honeymooning at WalMart? Check.
- Rotting teeth? Check.
- Trailer home decorated in a NASCAR theme? Check and check.
- Big Daddy & I spent our honeymoon on a Caribbean island.
- I have all of my own teeth.
- I live in a brick home.
- I don't watch NASCAR and my home is actually decorated with fine art.
I'm just so disappointed that NPR couldn't also work in a poignant scene with Reese Witherspoon in a coon dawg cemetery.
