Outraged

So, I was born in Maryland and consider the Eastern Shore of Maryland my true home.  However, for the last fifteen years I have lived in West Virginia-  the Mountain State.  My husband was born and raised here, my children were born and are being raised here.

And I happen to love it here!

Imagine my dismay when I discovered this piece of journalism trash posted on the website of a DC television station’s website (that I used to watch, USED to watch)

Here is the full text of the offensive article:

Now the news that West Virginia has put a whole bunch of its important vital records on the Internet certainly raises the possibility of all kinds of cheap shots at our yokel neighbors to the West.

But that’d be completely unfair, a gross stereotype about our neighbors’ tar-paper shacks, which probably don’t even have enough electricity to power a Commodore anyway.

But if they did have one, they’d be able to log on to the new Web site and do all kinds of research, says the Herald-Mail. Here, for example, is a listing of all the birth certificates for people named Cletus. Here’s a listing of all the Twittys who’ve died in the state. And here’s a listing of all the weddings in the state where both the bride and the groom had the last name “Smith.”

Isn’t it enough that they have to poop in their backyard, running through the cold, fearing that the trap door on their red flannel pajamas should pop open early, exposing their nether regions to the bite of the winds? Why do we have to make fun of them for their misfortune?

So we won’t.

The site has all the data they have that’s legally shareable. Birth certificates can’t be shared for 100 years; death certificates are on ice for 50. Records from the Civil War aren’t available, as well as a few gaps where fire or flood took out a courthouse or two.

But if you’ve ever wondered what Hank Williams’ death registry looks like (you can put your hand down), now you can die happy. (And have someone from WV look at it 50 years later, once the Internet finally comes to the state.)

Copyright NBC Local Media First Published: Dec 18, 2009 8:50 AM EST

While I am aware there are people in this state living in extreme poverty (as there are in many states) the insinuation that to live in West Virginia means that you are an uneducated “yokel” infuriates me.

Why am I sharing this with you, my dear readers?  Not just for the sake of venting about something that has me very upset but because I know that  many of you live in the MD/DC/VA/WV area.

If this is the case I am asking you to join me in asking for a public apology by the station and the “reporter” who wrote the original piece.  You can do that by clicking here.

Now, I am going to drink a cup of coffee and enjoy the beautiful view of snow covered mountains from my front porch.