Our lifeguard at the Y, who listens to Hate Radio at full blast, is getting some news tomorrow.

[mahina]

Apparently the powers that be had a meeting yesterday and have issued a policy that there will be no talk radio at the pool. This after he had (loud) words with a gentleman in his 70's who asked him to turn it off, and several letters and phone calls. Apparently there are a number of letters supporting listening to hate radio at full blast too.

I like to think I would feel the same about it if it was a liberal radio show. It's distracting and obviously divisive. Even more to the point, brother should have better people skills than to shout down an elder who asks a civil question.

What the heck happens to people when they start listening intently to disinformation? Honestly if you look at the Hutus and the Tutsis, in Somalia, the people of Bosnia and Herzogovina, the people in Sierra Leone, propagandists on the radio divide and inflame people.

Our lifeguard mentioned (at top volume, without letting anyone else get a word in edgewise) months ago that the OWS movement was naive, futile, that there would be no change until there was blood running in the streets. Seriously.

What tools do people have to defuse this craziness?

[Ian David]

1. I wish they would have just fired him. However...

... I bet he will be so outraged, that he will eventually get himself fired, anyway.

[mahina]

4. I'm pretty sure he will too.

This decision is NOT going to sit well and he has no control over his anger or words.

[Iris]

2. Hello???? It's the freakin' Y!!!!

Why would that be allowed to go on so long?

[mahina]

3. His supervisor ignored complaints for a year and a half.

I know, right?

[Iris]

9. The supevisor needs to be reprimanded as well.

Jeez.

[Wait Wut]

5. He needs to be fired.

Not for his choice in radio stations. He's free to be an idiot. But, for the way he treats patrons.

I would have complained to corporate if action hadn't been taken within days.

[mahina]

7. That just happened on Tuesday

by the way. I didn't want the man to lose his job, just turn off the propaganda. Now, if he can't learn to be civil, I agree that he should go.

[Ian David]

12. They have to be sure to document that they're NOT firing him for "being a Conservative."

They need to document that they're firing him for being a giant bag of douche.

[Wait Wut]

16. The local Y is one of my customers.

They have a form for employees that lists 1 to 3 offenses and actions taken.

Offense 1: Wouldn't turn off the talk radio.
Offense 2: Wouldn't turn off the fucking talk radio and yelled at one of our 70 year old patrons.
Offense 3: He's a giant bag of douche.

[mahina]

19. lols

thanks for the giggle.

He's a big bullying loud and cognitively challenged bag of douche.

[nenagh]

24. Might be a good idea to record everything..

Dates, what happened etc.

If you are giving him the news tomorrow, best of luck..

I'd sure have someone with you as backup..if you can manage it..or at least be close enough to others that they will hear him if he gets abusive vocally..

And well done in helping to get this change..it takes courage sometimes to take on bullies...

[slampoet]

6. I hate how the YMCA never has respect for people's ears.

Why do they seem to only promote health when it has to do with appearance?

My Y has Zumba classes and Spinning classes where the music is at 85-93 decibels which means the instructor has guaranteed hearing damage if they have been doing this longer than 6 months.

[Turbineguy]

8. I think it goes futher that just that.

It influences thinking to the point where people are not just misinformed about current events, they become incapable of rational thought and lose normal problem solving skills. Because people lose these skills, things go wrong in their lives. They cannot solve these problems any longer. They are convinced however that these changes do not come from within because they are told that their problems are the results of government policies.

[mahina]

13. I have first hand evidence to support that assertion.

Two uncles and this dude.

[Walk away]

10. How do these people keep their jobs? I don't care what his ideology is...

his job is a Life Guard. Doesn't the "Y" have an employee hand book? Any kind of job training? If someone working for me pulled this shit he would be counseled, written up and the next time it happened his ass would be grass! Even if I agreed with him.

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. good.

[Initech]

14. I agree - public pool = no place for talk radio.

Especially hate radio but that goes for both sides. Just play the damn classic rock station and do the proselytizing on your own damn time.

[surrealAmerican]

15. You need a "no radios" rule.

This is obviously annoying the "customers". It's very unprofessional.

[Gibby]

17. This Republicon 'lifeguard' is failing badly at his job

He should be paying attention to swimmers who may need his assistance. Things happen fast -- I was a firefighter for many long years, and have been on the scene of dozens of accidents. If this right-wing republican clown is goofing off listening to hate radio, he ain't doing his job. He is just another Republicon Socialist sucking up an unearned paycheck from the non-profit Y, while he neglects his job and does his Feckless Mind Wankery.

[freshwest]

22. +1

[malaise]

18. Nice post

Hope they fire him

[Go Vols]

20. Al Jazerra

was on the TV at the DR. office a month or so ago and a few of us were watching.Man came in,and before he sat down he turned it on Fox.

I looked around and no one looked if they were going to say anything.After a brief pissing match between us, where he refused to move from in front of the cable box,I sat down in a chair that was above the plug for the TV and unplugged it.

The TV was on Price is Right when I came out.

[underpants]

21. My experience at the pool was....quiet. me, the line, caughting laps

that was about it

[Art_from_Ark]

23. The only sound at the public pool in my hometown

is the sound of people having fun in the water