Why My Radio Is Usually Off

Monday evening, on my way home, I decided to turn on the radio. I caught the recap of a local morning show, one of those, "If you didn't tune into us this morning, here's what you missed," sort of spots. In any case, the topic of the show that morning had been Nadya Suleman, and the show's hosts apparently continued the hateful, derogatory talk that has surrounded Suleman and her children.

The main host wanted people to call and weigh in on the fact that Suleman's medical bill was being turned over to California's medicaid/state health insurance plan.* There is, of course, no grounds for debate on such a topic, just a chance for people to call in to rant about people "who-have-babies-and-expect-us-to-take-care-of-them!!!" You'd think that topic was old--we've been hearing it for decades now, right?

Anyway, during the course of the show, the host interrupted one of the co-host's proclamation of how sad the situation is, to mimic Bob Barker/Drew Carey and remind people to have their cats and dogs spayed or neutered. The co-hosts immediately collapsed into laughter.

How hilarious-- Likening a woman to a pet and "humorously" recommending sterilization.

And the station thought it was funny enough to showcase it as a highlight.

I drafted a letter that I plan to fax this morning, then mail. Despite the words I managed to cobble together, I still feel that I just don't know what to say.
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*The frenzy surrounding Nadya Suleman has demonstrated, like nothing else since the debates on "reforming" welfare in the 1990s, our national obsession over who "should" be a mother and who is "deserving" of assistance.