Who is Joe Sixpack? Is he fit with six-pack abs?

OK, I know it's frowned upon to talk about politics on a non-political blog, but the elections are too close and this Joe Sixpack thing is really bugging me. And besides, as you'll see, this does have something to do with fitness, and the image Americans should be proud to be viewed as by the rest of the world - whether they're proud of being fit, or not fit.

(I promise I'll post about the Tour de Cove tomorrow - most of my photos are on my husband's camera and he forgot to leave it with me today and I want to post the photos with my description of the event).

Wait a sec, while I step up on my soapbox....

A certain politician has been touting that she and her running mate....er...I mean, the guy who she's the running mate for (I think it's fair to say that she has designs on that first sentence), are the ones representing Joe Sixpack and that they and all the Joes out there are the ones who love their country.  

Who is this Joe Sixpack? I saw a funny sign on the internet that had asked Who is Joe the Plumber? and someone had written in below it, "Joe Sixpack's sober older brother"!

Is Joe Sixpack someone who should be proud of who he is? Is he someone who we as Americans (for those of you who are Americans reading this blog, and for those of you who are not Americans, you can have a good chuckle at this) should be proud of as the representative (according to this politician) of the average American who loves his country?

I really don't think the Joe Sixpack being referred to looks like this:

No, that's not what she's talking about. But wouldn't it be nice if she were talking about a population who was proud of taking care of their God-given bodies, concerned with their and their family's health, and who also loved their country? Think of how much money we'd save the tax payers with reduced health care costs, Medicare, Medical, etc. In fact, I betcha it could be a great way to reduce taxes if Joe Sixpack and everyone who aspired to be like him actually lived a healthy lifestyle (and maybe took a Spinning class occasionally). Think of just how much money the government would save, how much money companies would save on health insurance!  They wouldn't mind paying for health insurance for their employees. Heck, we would not have this health care crisis right now if that's who Joe Sixpack really was.  

To be honest, the image that I conjure up when I hear the term is a white-tank-top-with-armpit-stains wearing, gun-toting, wife-beating, dropped-out-of-high school, mullet-wearing, beer-bellied redneck holding his Budweiser as he leans on his huge gas-guzzling Ford 150 truck with one bumper sticker that says "Proud to be an American" and another that says "W 04" and a gun-rack in the rear window. Joe would rather not work if he doesn't have to. 

Here's another image I picture when I hear Joe Sixpack. Imagine this: you're out on a beautiful mountain bike ride or hike, and you come to a clearing where someone has obviously camped. Strewn about are empty Budweiser cans and the six-pack plastic that held the cans together (you know, the kind they find wrapped around birds' necks), with cigarette butts dotting the surrounding dirt, spoiling this pristine environment. Yes, you know Joe Sixpack has been there. Is that what "loving" your country looks like?

OK, so maybe I'm taking my stereotype too far. Forgive me. I offer up some other potential Joe Sixpacks for consideration...

The caption on this one is, "Isn't he too old to still be sucking on a bottle?"

This next one's a pretty creative Joe. Hey, that's that American entrepreneurial spirit! (Because, if you remember a few years back, it was clearly stated that the "French don't even have a word for entrepreneur!" - it's truly an American concept!)

How would you like this Joe Sixpack for a neighbor? Do you think he'd lend you a cup of sugar if you knocked on his door?

I think this Joe is at a political rally...


And this is Joe Sixpack's dog... (sorry, couldn't help it!)

For final consideration, here is Joe Sixpack's family album, in video form:

 

No matter what one's political leanings are, we should all resent the image of Joe Sixpack that is being portrayed by the politicians as the average American. That is not what I think anyone, Democrat OR Republican, should be proud of. Can we find a politician who promotes healthy and fit lifestyles, not alcoholism?!

...OK, Off of soapbox now! 

[hey, didja notice how I fit "Spinning" in there?! ;-) ]