Corky's Column

Corky Carroll on various underbellies & bottom feeders

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 6 November, 2008 : - - I, for one, am very happy that the election is finally over.  As far as I am concerned these things just bring out the very worst in humanity.  Yes, it is important to vote.  Yes it is a wonderful thing that we live in a democracy where the people can determine who their leaders will be and make choices on all sorts of other very important issues. 

All that is well and fine.  But in the process something seems to always go terribly wrong.  Some evil force takes people over and they become ugly and nasty.  The sick underbelly of the human spirit shows its face.  If their side wins it's all brightness and hope.  But if the other side wins there will be nothing but darkness, famine, locusts, plague and bad rotten egg and skunk smells across the land forever and ever.  With no hope.

Somehow I got accidentally caught up in a little bit of the nastiness this year.  A couple of months ago I did a column where I mentioned going surfing with a good pal of mine who is in politics.  I know this guy well and I know that he is a very good person who gives his heart and soul to the job.  I also mentioned that I know close to nothing, or nothing, about all the political stuff.  It’s my own fault.  I am at the point in my life that I really just wanna be happy, go surfing and live a happy life. 

I do not study the issues like all good Americans should.  I am not proud of that, it is just the lazy way that I am.  During the week after that particular column came out I was drowned in emails.  Half was from supporters of my pal and the other was from supporters of the other candidate.  The half that were for my friend were all love and goodness and commending me on writing about this guy.  The other half were NOT. 

I got stuff that was so ugly and so nasty that I was in shock.  I had people tell me that my pal is the devil and I am even worse than that for being so stupid to mention him in a good light in my column.  And that was one of the printable comments. 

Geeze.  I want to make a request right here and now that if I ever even think about making any sort of political comment again that any or all of you can just go ahead and shoot me.  Or maybe I shouldn’t request that, after some of the stuff I got in the mail I am sure that there are those out there that would happily carry out that plan. 

This whole thing has reminded me why I gave up competitive surfing in the first place.  Being at the professional level of competition is not a playground.  It gets dead serious.  The fun part can get very lost in the quest for the prize.  When it is your livelihood on the line it is not a game anymore.  During the early days when I was young and surfing contests were more for the parties and festivities than anything else it was not so cut throat. 

But when money and the rest of the stuff got into the picture the vibe changed dramatically.  You don’t give a buddy a break.  In fact your buddy becomes your enemy and you start to wish the dude would step on a stingray or something bad.  THAT is the dark side of competition.  I remember the attitude only too well.  Some people deal with this well and some don’t.  Politics and elections are the same way.

I was sitting here discussing this with my pals Bones Bellman and Bruce Romano, the cross step shuffle king of Bolsa Chica.  We were comparing the same evil attitude that takes over some people in the lineup during crowded conditions.  Bottom feeders lurking everywhere intent on feeding on every single good wave that comes through. 

Animosity and hatred at every cutback.   There is nothing I can really say to relieve that condition.  But in any case at least the big elections are over and I don’t have to hit the delete button to all those Redguy means nuclear destruction or Blueguy will bring dragons raining terror and fire.  But I did enjoy watching the actual fistfights shown on television between the people for and against Prop 8.  That was entertainment.

www.corkycarroll.com

What's your take on this?
Post your thoughts: SV Forum

More USA/Cen Amer. surfing news available here
Check the latest West Coast Surf Reports and Forecasts

New! B2B News ASBE-Surf   |  Receive News-Alerts

Corky Carroll

Blogs - Surfersvillage