Grumpy Old Men or the Curmudgeon Club

I’ve reported in this blog about the regular radio net which comes on our VHF promptly at 8:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday. It is filled with serious information about and for boaters and provides a valuable service.  If the VHF has been left at a normal volume for the night one will have an opportunity to listen to, or become involved with, what is known locally as “the other net.”  Somewhere around 7:15 on most days (even Sunday) a personage known as “Shazam” announces on 22, “Turn to channel 21 for some free talk.” And so it begins.

For the next 45 minutes the majority of the speakers, with Shazam acting as net control, speak on a variety of current topics, politics and newsworthy events taking place in the U.S.A. with as much venom and vitriolic as they can muster.  Most of these guys lean very far to the right, and  according to them nothing has gone right in the U.S. since, well maybe, Lincoln (I have heard G. Washington demonized.) The irony is that most live in Mexico and have no inclination to return to America, ever!  It seems such waste of time and energy. And good old Shazam leads the listeners and speakers down a primrose path with a few short, pat phrases. He loves to talk about  Americans as” sheople” and scorns the “silence of the lambs.”  As far as he’s concerned EVERYTHING that is wrong in the world is the fault of the U.S.; somehow the U.S. even came out the bad guy in the earthquakes in Japan. I never could follow the "logic" there.  He has talked for months about what a crime it was that the U.S. hadn’t caught Bin Laden then criticized the SEALS effort in getting him then later charged that was probably all a hoax. The majority of the other listeners just agree with him…or are cut off with a sarcastic comment if they dare to challenge.

So why, you ask, do I listen to what must be a pretty objectionable 45 minutes for this avowed liberal? Good question. I have been known to raise my voice at the radio. I say thing like “What a bunch of idiots!” and “He’s got to be kidding” and “Oh yeah, the entire space program is a figment of Hollywood’s imagination and technology.”  Well, truth be told they do have some interesting call ins like the obviously intelligent (he often agrees with me!) gentleman who does a weekly science report and fills us in on what is going on in that world and another gentleman, a retired attorney, who often counteracts insane statements with common sense rebuttal. I once told him he was the voice of reason on the “show;” he grinned and replied that when he first listened free talk he referred to it as “freak talk.”  And while I think many of the opinions heard on free talk are out in right field and the conspiracy theories reek of paranoia, I find the show stimulating in a weird way.  Sometimes having to defend one’s own beliefs, if only to a patient husband, shines a spot light on those beliefs and puts them into perspective.

I used to think there were only a few talkers on this free talk and fewer listeners.  But the longer I am here and speak with other boaters the more I realize that many, many others enjoy a bit of bitter chat with their morning coffee. Occasionally people will admit that they, too, listen to free talk and do a bit of shouting and fist waving at the VHF too.
Sometimes a woman will call in with an opinion and, at the risk of being labeled sexist, is more likely to offer calm reasonable views. Uh, with the possible exception of B who comes on a couple of time a week with bizarre and rambling comments, usually having absolutely nothing to do with the subject at hand.  I have to admit I admire the grouchy guys for being respectful, not cutting her off and offering an “any comments?” at the end of her speech.  There never are any comments and it is probably just as well.

So I raise my cup of coffee to the grumpy old men with a thank you for a stimulating start to each and every day. I have to admit (I don't really want to admit!) that I've enjoyed listening to you. I’ll miss you guys. Salud!