My Right To My Real History Verses Your Hurt Feelings From The Search.

Years ago, I learned the truth about my actual origin of birth. I spent a lifetime of having questions and internal conflict. It's only been within the last few years that I've been able to reconcile everything and begin to forge healthy relationships that build on that history,

One of the lasting after effects of this was a heightened need to learn the true history of not only my family, but the true history of Black people in America as well. While one was hidden simply because of my not knowing, the other was hidden as a means of deception and manipulation.

American text books, from the time I was a kid to even now, simply gloss over Black history in this country and as a result, have lead generations of children of all races to believe that our history begins with slavery. For some, even that nugget of knowledge is dangerous because of their concerted efforts to either sugar coat it by claiming that "slavery wasn't all that bad" or eliminate any references to it altogether. What these delusional idiots fail to realize is that what they've done over time is dangerous not only to our children, but to theirs as well. And we wonder why America is getting its ass kicked academically.

During my ongoing search for facts, I ran across a brilliant documentary called "Hidden Colors". It discusses some of that very history I've been searching for and it exposes the wide spread deception perpetrated by Whites to change that history.

One of the most troubling and enlightening pieces was about the true image of Jesus Christ. According to this research which also supports the actual description of Christ in the Bible, the earliest images of Jesus were those of a dark skinned man. For years, there were churches that displayed that image or a variation thereof. The documentary explores how that image was deliberately changed to long - haired Eurocentric figure we see today. The irony of this is that while the bible eludes to Him possibly being of African descent, there is absolutely no reference to his depiction in America.

I was asked "what difference does it make ?" by someone who was offended by my even pointing it out. My response is that it makes a huge difference especially when you consider how this deception was used against kidnapped slaves and subsequently, one of the "truths" adopted by their descendants. Blacks were indoctrinated to believe that since "Jesus was White" that those that looked like him were closer to God, when by virtue of the very deception, they were anything but Godly. Another puzzling irony is that this false image is still proudly displayed in many Black churches despite what's written in the Bible.

Again, what difference does it make ?  Plenty. It speaks to the very deception generations of Blacks have lived with since we were brought here. It speaks to our miseducation. It speaks to the countless images of blonde hair and blue eyes being held as the standard of beauty. It speaks to the continued deliberate misrepresentation of the images of Blacks and ultimately, it speaks to our overall self - image, self - esteem and self - hatred.

In 1939, Dr. Kenneth Clark and his wife , Mamie conducted what is known as "The Doll Test". School aged children between the ages of 6 and 9 were asked to choose between a Black doll and a White one based on their answers to certain questions. These were the questions that were asked: 

• Show me the doll that you like best or that you’d like to play with,”
• “Show me the doll that is the ‘nice’ doll,”
• “Show me the doll that looks ‘bad’,”
• “Give me the doll that looks like a white child,”
• “Give me the doll that looks like a coloured child,”
• “Give me the doll that looks like a Negro child,”
• “Give me the doll that looks like you.”

Most children picked the Black doll as the "bad" one and some 44% of them picked the White doll as having "looked like them". The findings of this study were used as evidence in the "Brown Vs. Board Of Education" Supreme Court case, and as a result, segregation in the classroom was deemed illegal.

Progress right ? In 2005, film maker, Kiri Davis repeated the experiment as part of her film, "A Girl Like Me". 71% of the 21 kids she sampled picked the White doll as the "nice" one. ABC's "Good Morning America" repeated the test in 2009. They asked 19 Black kids which doll looked like them. 88% of them picked the Black one. However, when asked which one was the pretty doll, all of the boys said "both", but 47% of the Black girls picked the White doll. So let me ask you, what do you think the most likely effect would be on a person who's been feed the "Black is bad/White is good" paradigm for most of their life ? it's usually one of two possibilities. You have a Black child that either hates himself or hates Whites. 

There were also studies done in the mid 70's that showed that Black children became more aware of the negative images of Blacks, but as they got older, tended not to internalize them. Chances are that, like me, some of them were exposed to the "Black Is Beautiful" and "Black Power" movements that fought to combat those images being forced upon us. The problem with fighting the negative images of Blacks is that there are those that perceive that as somehow being "anti - White". Sadly, we're still dealing with the problem of self - hatred and the root causes of it.

When I spell these things out, it's an affront to some Whites because it goes against everything they've been lead to believe about themselves and this country. The effect that the "Black is bad/White is good" paradigm had on them is the opposite. Higher self - esteem and in quite a few cases, justification to hate Blacks, or at the very least, an indifference to their plight. Now I have to make clear, as I always do, that while this may not be true of individual Whites, it has been shown to be the case as a society. 

One of the questions I see quite often is "Why can't you just get over it ?" It comes from a delusional belief that racism is a thing of the past and everything is equal. However, because of a lack of understanding or willful ignorance, the same ones asking ignore the fact that racism is still a reality in 2013. The typical response is "well, there's nothing you can do about it", as if we as Black people are merely supposed to "stay in our place" and deal with the abuse. Then are those that are stupid enough to actually say that "talking about it only makes it worse". Really ? For whom ? The ones made uncomfortable by the conversation or the ones being subjected to it ?

"What about Black on Black crime ?" is another chestnut people like to drag out. My reply is usually "What about White on White crime ?". However, for the sake of this narrative, I'll offer this explanation. American Slavery began a cycle of abuse that's been handed down for generations. It's common knowledge that those that have been abused will most likely become abusers. The easiest victims to abuse are those in the same situation as themselves. The problem in breaking that cycle is the original abuse has yet to really be addressed. More self - hatred.

Comedian, D.L. Hughley has a brilliant comedy special out called "The Endangered List" where he documents his efforts to have Black men added as an endangered species. He cited the fact that in 2013, there are more Black men in prison than there were in slavery. Gang violence and the inport of drugs. Black unemployment is close to 20%. Fewer Black families are intact in impoverished areas and what's been called "environmental racism", in which businesses that are counter to the health of the community are forced there. In a conversation with an EPA official, these factors would qualify an animal to be added to the list. While this purely a comedic effort, there were serious truths that were exposed. Black men are the only ones that are complicit in their own demise and they are extremely profitable for the private prison industry. In a dramatic illustration of this point, Hughley talked with two gangbangers about this and it didn't sit too well with them. He then went on to actually buy the two shares of stock in the biggest private prison company. He then told them that they now own a piece of the company that makes money from putting them in jail and that they were responsible for the profits.

"Why can't Black people get it together and clean up their own communities ?" is a question that some legitimately ask and others ask as a means of diverting from talking about the culpability White America has in these problems. For the record, there are scores of Blacks working extremely hard to clean up our communities and they do it without a whole lot of help. Millions of kids do extremely well despite their circumstances, but millions do not. There are scores of Whites that go above and beyond the call of duty in helping out and there are scores that simply run off at the mouth.

"Whites can't be all bad. We elected a Black President." And that means what exactly ? Some foolishly believed that we would become a "post - racial society", when what President Obama's election really did was bring the racists out of the woodwork. I remember one news report where an older White woman actually said "I'm afraid that if he wins, the Blacks will take over." At the end of it all, that one statement is the answer to the "why" question. It's all about the power that Whites have had and are fighting like hell to maintain. The institutions they've built are crumbling in favor of those that recognize the strength of diversity. 

The generation coming up is a lot smarter than those that came before them in that the politics of race is a little easier to navigate. This gives me hope for the future. However, as long as America keeps displaying its cowardice when dealing with the question of race, we will never be the society we've lied to ourselves into believing we were. Part of that conversation goes back to the original premise of this blog. In the effort to bring about racial healing, all of us must know the truth about our history. In the process of finding that truth, things will be revealed that will challenge your very beliefs. Any progress in race relations is going to be in how you handle that truth. Do you engage with an honest curiosity, or do you revert to the safety of becoming defensive and shutting down altogether ?

As the true history of Blacks continues to be revealed, there are those that will accuse us of "playing the race card". There are also those that think we should leave well enough alone and there are those that will imply that we don't have a right to our real history and therefore, shouldn't be talked about at all.

I say to them, "Sorry about your hurt feelings, but as so many are fond of saying, get over it."

Quoting Jay - Z - "I'm Not A Businessman. I'm A Business Man !"

For years, I've heard from those much smarter than me, that the only way to truly realize the so - called "American Dream" is ownership. Owning a home or your own business gives you the kind of freedom you can't have any other way. You take all of the risk. You reap all of the rewards.

As I continue my evolution from "good employee/manager/asset to the company" to "Owner/Operator/President" of my own, I continue to be energized by all of the work being put into growing my business. I look back at what's been done and look ahead to what needs to be and I know that it's an ongoing process.

The latest item crossed off the checklist is the company website. This has been a truly collaborative effort, taking a lot of patience on the part of those doing most of the heavy lifting, the web designers.

My wife has always said that I was a perfectionist and it can be a pain in the ass for the people I deal with. I realized that for the first time in dealing with myself. It's one thing when you're that way for someone else's benefit, but it's a totally different can of worms when you're putting everything on the line.

My expectations are realistic and I'm prepared for the long haul ahead. At the end of the day, the goal for Mark Gunn Media Inc. is simple. Do a really great job that speaks for itself. Hence, my company slogan - "No Hype ! No Hoopla ! Just Damn Good Work !"

The Greatest Gift... Just Being There.

To paraphrase my father, Art, we haven't had the traditional relationship. That was because of things beyond our control. However, being there when it matters most is more important than most people will never know.

Those moments are very profound especially as you get older. My dad was there as I got my high school diploma. He was there when I moved to Cincinnati for the first time. He was there for the birth of my son and he is there right now as I go through a very difficult transition from one career to becoming my own boss.

My wife called him a little over a week ago and asked him to check on me. He called and gave his support and encouragement. I broke down a little because I really didn't expect it. However, it was very welcomed especially from a man who'd done so much for me already.

What he did next was also totally unexpected when he flew my wife and I to his home here in Florida. The weeks of stress I've endured are a distant memory and more importantly, I'm learning that we are a lot more alike than I ever knew. We're both damned good at our chosen profession. We're both very laid back and we both got it right in our current marriages and our wives spoil us rotten.

This visit has given us time to bond more and his home is full of images that give me more Insight as to who I am. We spent Sunday afternoon watching the Masters, which was fun for me because he is an avoid golfer and I sat there soaking up any knowledge he shared like a sponge. By the way, my golf game really sucks.

There's an unspoken thing between fathers and sons that deals with wanting to work together at some point. One of my proudest moments came from being able to voice a commercial for his business. I've won a few awards for my work, but this was far more satisfying. As I write this, he's using his expertise to help my business in getting off the ground. More importantly, his willingness to share his knowledge and encouragement give me more confidence to continue with my dream. I also take pride in the fact that his imprint will be part of the foundation of Mark Gunn Media.

Like I said before, being there when it really counts is important, but in the case of my dad and I, just being there is priceless. I'll always love him for that.

Now What ? How I'm Handling My Middle - Aged Job Crisis

You’re a fifty - something professional who’s worked hard all of your adult life to become one of the best at what you do and to provide for your family. You have a very specialized skill set that has enabled you to be successful in your chosen field and you’ve tried to develop a reputation that speaks well of how you conduct business. This description could fit anyone reading this.

Like so many in this economy, you suddenly find yourself no longer employed. After the initial shock wears off, the question becomes “Now What ?” This is the position I now find myself in.

Oddly enough, it’s given me a clarity that I didn’t have before now because I can compare this experience with the last time I actually lost a job some 18 years ago.

I know not to do some of things I did back then. The first was to take it personally. This is still kind of difficult because media is an egocentric business and while you have develop a thick skin, there are still some layers that aren’t as thick as others. I’ve chosen not to internalize this because it gets in the way of my objective.

The second is to realize that you’re just as expendable as anyone else. No matter how valuable you make yourself to any operation, you can be replaced. The only satisfaction you can take from that is knowing that your replacement will never be as good. That egocentric thing again.

The third is knowing that while experience is timeless, time is not. This is where a lot of middle - aged people like me find themselves.  While there are some some professions where your age tends to be an asset,  Media, historically, hasn’t really been one of them. Words like “seasoned” are wonderful for a lot of positions in the corporate world. There’s a steadiness that’s implied with older executives. In my case, “seasoned” implies “old” and supposedly, positions like on - air talent for radio and television “belong to the young”.

So again, “now what” ? In my case, I’m attacking the problem on a couple of fronts as so many of us have had to do. Learning new skills has become a necessity for a lot older job seekers and they find themselves in occupations they would’ve never dreamed of doing. The first law of nature is self - preservation, so you do what you have to in order to survive. For me, it’s about adaption. Something I’ve been all too familiar with for the last 35 years. In order to thrive in any business, you must continue to make yourself relevant through technological changes, business trends and the like. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve outlasted so many of my peers in radio.

I’ve told so many young and aspiring radio personalities that you have to learn as much as you can about what you do, including those areas not directly related to what you’re doing. I’ve done that . You break down every skill you have and you figure out how it applies to the job you’re looking for. The deeper the skill set, the more options you will have.

Radio has afforded me the opportunity to pursue interests that can and will generate additional income, especially if others recognize those talents. Lots of love and gratitude to Angie Fenton for seeing the writer in me. Because of her eye for talent, I’m able to be a contributor to the Voice - Tribune. This opportunity has led to one of my past articles being published in a book scheduled for release later this year.

Public speaking, television appearances, voice over work, producing music, marketing, management, consulting and even photography are all offshoots of what I’ve done in radio. Those talents could go to the highest bidder and they can serve me as I go into business for myself.

Remember the two fronts I mentioned earlier ? Another one of the mistakes I made as a younger man was in thinking that I couldn’t do anything else. It took a really long, hard look at my resume, a few minutes standing in my trophy room and most importantly, a common theme that ran through the conversations I’ve had with quite a few people that love and support me to give me the courage to really go for it.

One of the biggest questions that media personalities grapple with is “how much of an impact have I really had ?”. Your ego says that you want to be remembered as one of the best that ever did it even if reality dictates that your memory will fade from the minds of listeners and it’s on to the next one.  

Another gift of being older is that you know when it’s time to turn off the microphone and as I continue my job search and taking baby steps with my company, Mark Gunn Media, I take great pride in knowing what kind of impact I’ve had here. I take some satisfaction in knowing that the name “Mark Gunn” can always mean something even if I’m not of the air or in front of a camera.

The most important lesson I’ve learned from all of this is patience. There are days when I’ve submitted a gang of voice over auditions, submitted a lot of resumes and done of lot leg work and feel like I’ve done nothing at all. You can’t give in to that. Keep telling yourself to BELIEVE.

Your professional life is as much about branding yourself as it is how well you do your job. You want your name to be the very next thought of the person thinking about a particular business. I’d like to think that I was successful in doing that with B-96.5 and Mainline Broadcasting. I have the confidence to know that I’ll be just as successful in my next professional life with a company that could use my talents and with my own.

Lost In The Gun Control Debate... Control.

By means of full disclosure, I have to state that I am trained in the use of firearms. I’ve used everything from .45 caliber pistols, automatic weapons like the M-16, M-60 and others in between. I’ve also taken the time to get a Concealed Carry Permit. I don’t like guns, but I do respect them.

While I have a great deal of respect for the majority of gun owners, there are some that just don’t get it. These are the ones that use the 2nd Amendment in some sick and twisted context and are stupid enough to think that they can hoard enough firepower to actually take on the Government.

Throughout this whole debate, I haven’t been able to shake the image of 20 little kids being slaughtered. I also haven’t been able to shake my own experience with gun violence. Being caught in the crossfire of someone who could care less about human life, much less his own, shapes your perspective in a way that you never fully realize until something like the Sandy Hook Massacre happens.

It’s safe to say that, other than the military and law enforcement, a majority of gun owners have never had to fire their weapon at anyone. They’ve probably never seen the results of someone being shot either. The sight of a human lying on the ground with blood flowing like lava leaves you shaken to your very core. No amount of movie or video game violence can even come close, and yes, they are a part of the problem. Our kids are becoming desensitized to the kind of violence at Sandy Hook and parents along with the entertainment industry must be held accountable.

People, for the most part, are in favor of some measure of gun control. Mandatory background checks for every weapon purchase, closing the loophole for gun shows and private sales, mental health screenings, a limit to the size of magazines and a return to the 1994 assault weapons ban all make sense in limiting the access to weapons that are only designed to one thing... KILL.

I would require that all weapons to be registered and fitted with a GPS microchip. They would then be entered into a national database which would be able to track them should be stolen since a majority of so - called “illegal” guns are stolen from “legal” gun owners. Mandatory testing would be required every 6 months and owners would have to qualify to keep their weapons. Trigger guards and Safety classes would also be mandatory and would be subject to periodic testing. The bottom line being that greater responsibility must be placed on the part of the gun owner.

Some would say “You’re just punishing law - abiding citizens”. Gun owners are putting the rest of us at risk. “Criminals don’t care about gun laws”. No they don’t. However, if this society is to finally get serious about gun crime, much harsher penalties would be handed out for possession of unregistered weapons and mandatory life or death sentences for crimes in which a gun was used.

Legal gun owners must face sanctions for their carelessness as well. Had Adam Lanza’s mother been more responsible in the way she locked up her firearms, he wouldn’t have had access and Sandy Hook might not have happened. You are more likely to get shot by someone in your own home or due to a gun owner’s negligence than you would by a criminal. Just this past week, there were 6 accidental shooting incidents at gun shows throughout the country.

There are RABID gun owners that somehow see gun control as “taking my guns away”. They also see the 2nd Amendment as a means to having unfettered access to any kind of weapon made. Somehow, they miss the fact that you can’t legally own a rocket launcher. They also ignore the fact that the Supreme Court has stated that there are limitations to the Amendment. They rant and rave like spoiled little brats when you press them on the need for military style - assault weapons. It’s these people that scare me and enforce the need for mandatory mental health screenings.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the NRA and politicians who’ve prostituted themselves for them are playing paranoid gun owners like chumps. Runs on guns and ammo have them laughing all the way to the bank while we continue to pay the price in blood.

You know what the bitter irony of all this is ? If “We The People” don’t get our act together when it comes to guns, that “big, bad, tyrannical, Communist, Socialist” President and the Government that these deluded paranoids swear is out to get them just might be forced into existence. Then what ? How will your weapons and serious lack of skill fare against those black helicopters you keep imagining ?  Some would say “There’s no way the military would fire upon American citizens.” Are you willing to take that chance ?

In order to stem the tide of gun violence, it’s going to take a collection of initiatives and more importantly, people of good will and courage to carry them out. Those that do not own guns far outnumber those that do. The majority of gun owners are reasonable and see the need to finally tackle this problem. Ask yourself, what’s more important. Is it the life of an innocent child or the need for some yahoo to carry an assault weapon because he’s overcompensating for some other shortcomings ?

Who I Am And How Mark Gunn Media Came To Be.

"Birth Of A Writer" Or "Are You Crazy ? You Can't Print That !"

"I'm not exactly sure when my passion for writing really began." Mark says. "I feel like it's something I've always done." To a degree, he has. Before getting into radio, he was the lead singer of a cover band in Columbus, Georgia called "Cargo". 

It was toward the end of the band's run that Mark began writing as a lyricist. "Guitarist, Donald Johnson and I were putting songs together for a very rough demo." He recalls. "Don had a few songs that he had rough drafts for and I started writing words and melodies for them." They actually managed to get a few of them recorded, but as Mark laughingly admits, "While they were actually pretty good songs, I wouldn't want anyone to hear them today."

He also credits his career in radio for giving him his second push to put pen to paper. "I remember writing all kinds of commercials and promos and never giving thought that I was actually WRITING anything. It was about trying to be creative and getting the job done."

If Mark had to pinpoint the one "A-HA moment" that put him on the path to doing editorials, it would be a lecture he was giving at UCLA in the early 90's. "I was working for what was KACE - FM at the time and was responsible for starting a movement that saw us eliminating a lot negative music from our radio station." The move generated national and international press coverage. "That's how I ended up doing the lecture" Mark recalls.

The professor approached him afterwards and encouraged him to write a book because in his words, "...you would write like you speak." Mark says "I took those words to heart and they're with me every time I touch a keyboard."

In addition to the writing he's already done, he's in the middle of completing his first novel. "It's an autobiographical piece about my very unusual upbringing and my the ride through my career." It's called "Everything I Know About Radio I Learned In Kindergarten" and he hopes to have it finished by the third quarter of this year.

Mark Gunn Media Sports Montage

If you have an athlete in your family, putting together a Highlight Reel

is a great way to remember every spectacular play

and it's also great to submit to perspective colleges.

Mark Gunn Media

No Hype ! No Hoopla ! Just Damn Good Work !

Mark Gunn Media Wedding Montage

Getting Married ? 

Mark Gunn Media 

"No Hype ! No Hoopla ! Just Damn Good Work !"

Seasons Change

"Season's Change"

We all experience major changes in our lives. Some of them good. Some bad. No matter what, they are changes that must happen. 

After 35 years of being blessed enough to be in a business that I've loved since the beginning, the time for change has come.

As of this week, Mainline Broadcasting and I have ended our wonderful relationship and with that, I close this chapter of my life. 

I want everyone to know that I am fine with the decision and have no ill feelings or anger toward "MLB". It is a truly wonderful company and one of the best I've ever worked for.

I give many thanks to the staff and management there because they've given me the chance to do things in my career that I thought I never would do. I've worked with and groomed some of the best and brightest talent in this industry and I take great pride in their success. 

I've been "adopted" by a family in the truest sense of the word. They've shared in my triumphs and my tragedies. They've applauded my strengths and helped with my weaknesses and most importantly, they believed in my talent and shared in my drive for success and because of all of that and so much more, I leave with no regrets.

Over the last year or so, I've had to really evaluate where I was in my life and I knew in my mind that I wouldn't be doing radio much longer. I think the decision had been made somewhat when I made it known that I wouldn't be applying for the Program Director's position now held by Phillip David March. I'm tremendously thrilled that he's back in the game because the knowledge he brings to a young staff is beyond measure. He's already made a major impact and he's not done yet.

I saw the staff getting younger with a new energy that was sorely needed. I'm blessed to have been a part of that energy, but something was missing. I can admit that part of it was ego - driven. When I was moved to Magic 101.3, I embraced the challenge of trying to take the station to the next level. Although we made strides in the ratings, it wasn't enough for me. I was used to winning as I'd done on B-96.5 and I tended to beat myself up when I didn't see the kinds of results I wanted. I also missed being in a position with a higher profile. I internalized these things more and more and I knew for sure that it would be time for me to leave at some point.

I feel that I must come to the defense of "MLB", because the few people I've told beforehand had very strong reactions to the news. To them and to you I say "there are no bad guys, so don't it twisted". Continue to support my family at Mainline as you always have. They are a very solid company and they get results for anyone they do business with.

Over the last few days, people have been running with a consistent theme. "This is but a season and seasons change". My baby sister, Tonya, put it in a Facebook post. My mother, Barbara, made sure I knew it as well.

I'm very excited about the things that are already happening and the shape of things to come. I'm concentrating more on my family and building my own business, Mark Gunn Media. I'm looking forward to growing a list of clients that have trusted my work in the past, and new ones that will soon discover just how special this company will be.

There are pending opportunities that will, as my wife Tracey says, "will put you exactly where you need to be" and in her opinion, put me in a position to do what I was born to do. More on that as the situation develops.

By no means is this a "goodbye" to Louisville. You'll have to put up with me for a while longer. For me, it's business as usual. I'll still fight the good fight with "Connected Voices". I'll still use my voice to do the most good where I can. Don't be surprised if you see me pop up with an occasional television appearance either. 

So, as this season changes for me, there have been so many people in so many places that have helped me along my 35 year journey. General Managers, Program Directors, Air Talent, Sales and Promotions people and most of all, anyone and everyone that I've been privileged enough to come through your radio speakers, THANK YOU !

...And to my first love, we've been through a whole lot together and you'll always be in my heart. 

Thank you... RADIO.

Mark Gunn
Owner - Mark Gunn Media.