Surfmeister Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Never mind ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Losman-McGahee-Evans Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Marine Corp's General Reinwald was interviewed on the radio the other day and here's his reply to the lady who interviewed him concerning guns and children. It is a portion of National Public Radio (NPR) interview between a female broadcaster and US Marine Corps General Reinwald who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop visiting his military installation. FEMALE INTERVIEWER: So, General Reinwald, what things are you going to teach these young boys when they visit your base? GENERAL REINWALD: We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery, and shooting. FEMALE INTERVIEWER: Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it? GENERAL REINWALD: I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range. FEMALE INTERVIEWER: Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children? GENERAL REINWALD: I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm. FEMALE INTERVIEWER: But you're equipping them to become violent killers. GENERAL REINWALD: Well, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you? The radio went silent and the interview ended. 281692[/snapback] As great a tale as this is, it's pure fabrication. It began life in 1999, purportedly about an "LTG Reinwald" of the US Army. In 2001 it reappeared, this time attributed to "Marine Corps General Reinwald." The U.S. Army denies that there is a Lieutenant General Reinwald and chalks the whole thing up as a hoax. (Which is as logic dictated all along; if an armed forces spokesperson ever gave voice to a sexist remark likening a female interviewer to a prostitute, that officer would soon be called upon to make a very public apology as well as face charges within ranks for conduct unbecoming.) National Public Radio had this to say about the matter: We are aware of an erroneous story posted on the Free Republic Website, and possibly elsewhere, which mentions a supposed interview between an unnamed NPR reporter and a U.S Army Lieutenant General Reinwald. The story is false — the dialogue mentioned was not an NPR interview, and it never aired on any NPR program. Those who like their guns and who believe responsible gun ownership begins with teaching young people the right way to handle firearms at an early age have a great fondness for this story. As well they should, because this anecdote illustrates in a humorous way the difference between having the ability to do something and that ability dictating life choices. The "Reinwald" story existed as a joke as far back as October 1997 when it appeared on a number of web pages in the following form: Excerpt from a recent live radio interview on one of the regional Welsh stations: A female newscaster is interviewing the leader of a Youth club: Interviewer: So, Mr. Jones, what are you going to do with these children on this adventure holiday? Mr Jones: We're going to teach them climbing, abseiling, canoeing, archery, shooting... Interviewer: Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible isn't it? Jones: I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the range. Interviewer: Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children? Jones: I don't see how, we will be teaching them proper range discipline before they even touch a firearm. Interviewer: But you're equipping them to become violent killers. Jones: Well, you're equipped to be a prostitute but you're not one are you? Needless to say, the interview was terminated almost immediately. Notice the differences that have taken place between the two tellings: * "Abseiling" has been taken out of the Americanized version (probably because whoever altered the text didn't know it was a rock climbing term meaning rappelling down rock faces). * A Welsh youth club leader called Mr. Jones has been transformed in a named Lieutenant General in the American army. * Welsh children (presumably boys and girls) have become American Boy Scouts. * A regional Welsh radio station has become the National Public Radio in the United States. If there's still any doubt someone took a joke set in Wales and changed details to Americanize it, look to the Reinwald version given in the example. Although the term "adventure holiday" is common in Britain, one would never hear it used in North America. Looks like whoever altered the text missed that one. No anecdote is so good that it cannot be improved upon, and that appears to be what happened here. To give the story its proper "oomph," having the telling remark issue from a mere youth club leader wouldn't do. But make the man with the snappy comeback a Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army, and the story becomes ever so much more tellable. The key element of the Reinwald legend has appeared in other tales. Observe the form it took in this story, which was told as a joke, not as an event that actually happened. [Collected on the Internet, 2000] A couple went on vacation to a fishing resort up north. The husband liked to fish at the crack of dawn. The wife liked to read. One morning the husband returned after several hours of fishing and decided to take a short nap. Although she wasn't familiar with the lake, the wife decided to take the boat out. She rowed out a short distance, anchored, and returned to reading her book. Along came the sheriff in his boat. He pulled up alongside her and said, "Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing?" "Reading my book" she replies as she thinks to herself, "Isn't it obvious?" "You're in a restricted fishing area," he informed her. "But officer, I'm not fishing. Can't you see that?" "Yes, but you have all the equipment. I'll have to take you in and write you up." "If you do that, I'll have to charge you with rape," snapped the irate woman. "But, I haven't even touched you," groused the sheriff. "Yes, that's true," she replied, "but you do have all the equipment." MORAL: Never argue with a woman who knows how to read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachChuckDickerson Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 http://www.snopes.com/military/reinwald.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 And you thought this belonged on the main board rather than PPP.... how? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch19079 Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 still funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puhonix Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 still funny. 281775[/snapback] Yes it is. Gotta love urban myths. Speaking of... National Geographic sent a field crew to uncover the myth of Hogzilla. The field crew found the body, dug it up, and confirmed this. Apparently it weighed about 800 pounds total. Here's the write up: Hogzilla real! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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