This post has NOTHING to with fitness/ training/ sports performance etc. etc.
It has to do with the world becoming a little less informed, a lot dumber and much less entertained….and in Baltimore we need all of the above we can get.
“Radio Man”, WBAL’s Ron Smith died Monday night.
The Ron Smith Show was BY FAR my favorite talk radio show, and as anyone who knows me understands, how I love talk radio. It wasn’t just because of Ron’s political leanings, which I must admit, are very much in line with my own. It was because when I listened to his show I learned something. He always welcomed actual, true debate on any issue….he never cut callers off, called them names, talked over them (or down to them) or used straw man arguments to make a supposed point, which wasn’t the point at all, then drop them off the line and grandstand in their defeat at awe of his own all-encompassing intellect.
When he had a guest on they talked about relevant topics TO THAT GUEST….economists talked about…the economy, climatologists…the climate. They didn’t get away with spewing political talking points or talk about how they felt about x,y,z subject which the guest had no specialized knowledge of because Ron kept them on the subject and asked relevant questions to that subject. They talked about that guests area of expertise or relevance…and we all actually gained knowledge we, the listener, could use to make decisions for ourselves.
“Whatever you talk about, someone out there knows more than you do.”
…..Ron’s show made us smarter….
He had political adversaries on regularly (when they would come on), be it with a R or D in front of their name and they would have an actual debate on an issue. He treated them with respect and didn’t pull the whole “gotcha” thing and try to make you look uninformed or stupid on some minor point or esoteric subject just because you disagreed philosophically. Maybe that’s why people like Ben Cardin and Peter Franchot went on the show… adversaries were challenged, not attacked.
Maryland Democratic Senator Ben Cardin issued the following statement Monday night:
“I have been on Ron Smith’s show many times over the years and he had a unique voice that made him a Baltimore radio icon. While Ron and I often disagreed, he was always fair, he was always insightful and he was always honest with his listeners. Today, I join the many, many fans of Ron Smith in mourning the passing of someone I had enormous respect for and who I counted as a true friend. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, June, and his family.”
It’s no coincidence that columns are popping up from both liberal and conservative outlets mourning the loss of Baltimore’s “Voice of Reason”. Granted, I listened to his show a lot less in the last year and a half since he moved from the drive home (3-6pm) to the mid morning (9-12pm,) I still tried to listen a few times a week and I missed having his show on driving home from work, the drives were always more interesting with him on.
His show was refreshing, entertaining and mostly informative and will be missed…
From Ron’s final Baltimore Sun Column:
“What is a mere individual to do? Live as sane and decent a life as you can, love your family and friends and understand that everybody is in this together.
My work here is done.”
Team Reason is without their captain……
About Roy:
