Who'd A Thunk It ? A Politician That Actually Does The People's Business !

Republican Representative Ahn "Joseph" Gao did the unthinkable when instead of voting in the interests of the GOP, he voted in the interests of the people who actually elected him when he chose to support the healthcare measure going through Congress.

Micheal Steele, that glorified "hall monitor" and other party members, in the most blatant display of hypocrisy, actually threatened any Republican who didn't vote along party lines. Steele's words ? "We will come after you." And do what Mike ? Give Ahn a swirly in the boys bathroom ? Maybe an atomic wedgie ? Someone really needs to tell "Mr. Steppinfetchit" to sit his punk ass down. Is there no end to the embarrassment he continues to cause the party ?

Gao's "maverick" move further illustrates the problems that the GOP continues to have and his explanation for doing so was simple and to the point. "I have to vote for what's best for my people" to paraphrase. He represents one of the poorest districts in Louisiana with at least 25% of it's populace with no insurance. Put that with the fact that they're still recovering from Katrina and the situation is even more dire.

This is simply a case of an elected official who actually gets it. Chances are that Steele and his masters will try to drive him out of the party, and that's fine. The district is majority Democrat and I'm sure he'd be a welcomed addition.

It also has to be noted that another Republican, Dick Young I believe, had Gao's back as he actually stood guard with his 6'4" frame while Gao, at 5'5" went to cast his vote. Seeing something like this should serve as a reminder to all Americans, no matter your political affiliation, that at the end of the day, party lines are bullshit and doing the right thing is the only thing that matters.

Well done gentlemen.

The Ass Hats Have Gone Too Far !!

As of this posting, I have severed all ties to the Republican Party. During the course of the last year and a half, the GOP has shown itself to a group of petty, whiny, racist, bigoted, out of touch, petulant children with the sole aim of revenge for having its ass handed to them over the last 6 years.


The shamelessly dishonorable way in which they continue to conduct themselves is a disgrace to the very ideal of a democracy. These bastards have sunk to all new low with Michele Bachman's "Emergency Town Hall Meeting" earlier today. Not only do they continue to spread lies and disinformation about the proposed healthcare plan, they continue to use racist imagery to get the point across.

                            

There was a prominently displayed sign that read "National Socialist Health Care, Dachau, Germany 1945" ! That was all this FORMER Republican could stand. To exploit something as brutal and vicious as the Holocaust in such a disgusting manner is an all new low.


Never mind the fact that Senator John Dumbass, I mean Boehner with his "this is my copy of the Constitution", proceeded to read the Preamble to the Declaration Of Independence. Never mind the fact that when asked, he couldn't tell you what the Republican Healthcare "plan" would cost and never mind that he and the rest of the GOP are in such disarray that they're stabbing each other in the back when it comes to support of Republican candidates !


I have had ENOUGH of these morons and am disgusted with what the party has become. The party of racist, ignorant ill informed neanderthals who wouldn't know the difference between an elephant's trunk or it's ass. The biggest source of disgust with me is otherwise level - headed moderates who've stood by and let all of this happen. No one wanted to be the gate keeper in order to curb a lot of the racist and bigoted behavior displayed over the past year.


As far as I'm concerned, RACISTS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE PARTY and those that do nothing about it ARE JUST AS BAD !! I thought that my being an African - American, fairly moderate in my political leanings, could convince other like - minded African - Americans to join the party, but there's NO WAY IN HELL I'd try to convince anyone to join the GOKKK !!

Angels Come when You Need Them Most !!

This past Tuesday, I received an email on our station's website. It was rather critical about some of the aspects of our programming and how it affected our Afternoon Personality, D.J. E-Feezy. It was especially critical of me. I checked it out Yesterday when I came in to work. Here's part of it:

"Is it because he was stealing Mark Gunn's shine...what little he did have?!? Mark Gunn is by far the worst radio personality to EVER be on radio, and he is even worse in person! He should of been silenced a long time ago. Handcuffing the best personality B96 has had in a long time is doing a disservice to the station and the city of Louisville. Somebody is trippin!"

xburrell@...

I withheld the email address out of common decency.

Radio is something I have a real passion for and it's been that passion that's kept me in the game for all of these years. It's also that passion that makes me somewhat vulnerable to these types of emails. I guess that's because that everyday I go on the air, I share a lot of who I am as a person. What I do is not an act and so what you hear with me is who I really am.

I can admit that this email pissed me off because I take attacks on my professionalism very personally, although I know it comes with the territory.

I've taken great pride in every accomplishment I've made, large or small over the last 31 years and regard my career as a reflection of those that came before me. I remained somewhat annoyed until about 11:30 last night when for some random reason, I checked my email again and got this:

"After reading your profile on the B 96.5 website. I just wanted to let you know that I am truly inspired.

I am louisville native who grew up listening to b96.5, and always dreamed of growing up and being on the station. I must say that B 96 has truly evolved in a good way.

I recently left Louisville about six months ago and enrolled in a broadcast school called Specs Howard located about 15 minutes outside of Detroit. The program is truly remarkable and is very hands on. In the four months that I have been in the program I have learned how to run a board, write and edit my own commercials through adobe, and also land an internship with cbs radio.

I am so excited about getting into the radio industry, not just because of the fame that comes with it, but because I want to eventually come back to Louisville and help my community by starting a non profit organization for young minority girls.

Being a young woman that grew up in the west end I have witnessed that there are so many young kids with out adequate roll models now, and I just want to show our young women what they are really worth, or what they really can do or be if they are placed around the right people and in the right enviroment.

Well, I just wanted to tell you that you are doing a wonderful job, and that I am very inspired. If you have any words of wisdom, or advice as to how I can advance in the business please email me back if it isn't too much trouble. it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and keep up the good work!"

Jordan H.

It was at that moment that I realized that Jordan was an angel whose words I needed to read at that very moment and I remembered why I do this in the first place. People like Jordan make my work worthwhile and so do the many of you I happen to meet on the streets. Being able to actually see you, shake your hand or give you a hug is more exciting for me than it probably is for you. That's a mindset I learned from Michael Jackson, who was always more fascinated by what other people did for a living than his own career.

At any rate, I wanted to use this as a chance to thank you all for the positive feedback. Everything from "you guys do a great job in the community" to "thank you for what you do. don't stop doing it." justifies the passion and the hard work that I and everyone else at Mainline Broadcasting put in. I've often said that it's always been about more than just the music and luckily, I work with people that feel the same way. We try to make a difference in our small way.

I know that there are people in this community that don't like me for one reason or another, and that's fine. I'm sure emails like xburell's will continue to piss me off and I'll continue to get over it.

I'll also continue to give you a little bit of myself every time I crack the mic and live by the professional standards I set for my career. You would expect nothing less from me.

Blessed Be and thank you for all of my success !!

Mark Gunn
WGZB - FM
B-96.5
Louisville, Ky.

Mr. Obama Goes To School Or The Scary Black Man Talks To My Kids !

"Girl, Boo" ! My Baby Sister Comes Of Age... Again !

Last night, I called my youngest sister Tonya, just to get caught up on her upcoming move to Nevada. Her husband, "Rock" is a career Navy man and will be stationed there after he completes his tour in Africa.


Tonya has always been a big spiritual influence on me, although we don't share the same religious beliefs. She was the most helpful to me when I went through my divorce some three years ago. She, like all of us Gunn kids, has always been an overachiever, especially when she was in the Navy and now in her civilian career. I see a lot of me in her and that was part of the problem.


Tonya, like me, is a very driven individual and like I was at one time, had found herself in danger of losing her identity to her career. Too many long hours, not enough sleep, too much stress and no time for herself made her question her life choices. 


Our parents divorced when we were very young and while the rest of us made our peace with that and maintained a relationship with our dad, Tonya did not until recently. She was very bitter about him not being in her life during here formative years.


Well the God & Goddess must've been thinking about my baby sister because there was a cosmic alignment of the stars, so to speak and the light bulb went off in her head. She told me that a voice in her head, telling her that she needed to reconcile. She called dad on his birthday, which was unintentional and they talked as if no time or space had ever come between them. That's the beautiful thing about family.


What did this have to do with her career ? Everything and nothing really. The way I see it, the light bulb stayed on a little longer in order for her to figure out what "The Pursuit Of HappYness" (*The movie was a big influence on her) was really about. She came to the conclusion that it wasn't about climbing the corporate ladder or making any more money than she already has. It was more about seeing the happiness she already has. A wonderful husband, great kids and the chance to work on her personal growth outside of the work place.


I told her how proud I was of her because I'd reached that conclusion a few years ago. I also saw that she was at the point to where she could benefit from learning "The Secret". If you don't know about it, you've got to get the book or the DVD.


Tonya and I talked for almost 2 hours. We were serious, but laughing most of the time. I'd almost forgotten just how funny my baby sister is. I haven't forgotten that she's not a baby anymore.


I love you "Bam Bam" She HATES that nickname. LOL

The Republican Party: From Sublime To Ridiculous In :60

Alright ! I've absolutely,positively have had it with some of the Right Wing Fringe !! As if the "Obamaisamuslimsocialistterroristracist","I want my country back", "he's not American and if he was, he'd show us his penus", "health care reform is designed to kill old people" insanity weren't enough, they've come up with a new one !

The President is scheduled to give a national address to our kids as they go back to school next week !! This isn't anything new. Presidents Bush Sr. and Reagan have done the same thing. Here's the kicker though. This idiot named Michelle Mailkin and others of her extreme right - winged rubber room wack job ilk are accusing

Mr. Obama of using his speech to "indoctrinate our children and promote his Socialist agenda" !!

Okay, so let me get this straight ! Encouraging kids to study hard and do well in school is somehow part of a "Socialist Agenda" ? You know, the more idiots like Mailkin, Beck and Limbaugh are allowed to open their pie holes as de facto voices of the Republican Party, the more the party loses it's grip on reality !

While GOP Chairman, Micheal Steele is busy disrespecting people who have lost loved ones because of not being able to afford health insurance, he should be concentrating on getting the party back on the road to looking like they at least have a freakin' clue !

There will be some that read the words of this Moderate Republican and say "this guy's a traitor to the party" and I'll not so respectfully tell them to kiss my disrespectful Black ass !!

This is NOT the party I joined during the Reagan Era. This is NOT the party that encouraged free enterprise and the virtues of competition. The Republican Party has become one being run by the lunatic fringe and has disgraced itself with it's racist, brat - like behavior and is need of a serious time - out !!

One would think that after 8 years of the WORST administration in this country's history, these idiots would want to give themselves a shot at re-election by at least appearing to try to get things done. But nooooooo, "the party of no" continues to conduct itself in a way that would a 5 year old scratching his head.

So while these clowns continue to shout people down at town hall meetings with their "Obama Is Hitler" signs and they continue to parrot the talking points of the Health Care companies that they've whored themselves out to (Mitch McConnell), Moderates like me will continue to get in their faces and demand that they PLEASE SHUT THE HELL UP !

"We Have A Nigger In The White House..."

Now that I have your attention, here's a question. Who do you think would be more likely to make such an ignorant statement ? Would it be some White redneck racist or some ignorant Black person who blindly thinks that the word "nigger" is a term of endearment ? The sad reality is that it would be both, which brings me to the actual point of this blog. 

My girlfriend, Tracey and I attended an "Obama Victory Celebration" recently. We were there barely 5 minutes when I was greeted by a friend of mine , a White woman in her 40's, who hugged me and said "where's my nigger ?". 

Now it has to be understood that this woman spends a lot of time around Blacks and somehow, misguidedly so, feels comfortable enough to use "nigger" in her ever day language and seems to have a very distorted view of what Black culture is and isn't. 

My reply to her was "I don't where he is, but I'm here.", meaning that I am not, nor have I ever been anyone's "nigger". I was highly offended, but didn't want to let that spoil the rest of what turned out to be a fun evening. 

My point is this. There are those of us who've always had a very strong sense of pride in who we are and have never tolerated anything in the way of disrespect. We've been just as hard on Blacks and Whites who would try to refer to us by anything less than who we are. 

I would also imagine that our President, Barack Obama, has the same mindset. He would have to or he wouldn't have been able to achieve what he has. 

Obama's presidency has already had a profound effect on the lives of some young Black men. They've chosen to leave behind a juvenile lifestyle (pseudo thuggery, pants sagging, bitch assery nonsense) and to clean up their act. They now feel that America is finally making an investment in them and they see that by working hard, they can reap the rewards. 

I have the distinct feeling that you'll see a lot of that coming out of Black America and it's up to those of us that have already gained a measure of success to encourage these changes and to offer any kind of guidance we can. 

It is also up to all of us to keep our achievements and gains in self respect from being reduced or negated altogether by those that don't agree with our desire to be better than we are or those that've been brainwashed in distorted cultural ignorance. 

Really now, what self - respecting Black man or woman would allow themselves to be referred to as "nigger" ? You may as well get down on all fours and start barking like some dog. 

Bottom line: Just as you would never call the President Of The United States  "nigger", you won't call me or mine "nigger" either. How can you respect his milestone achievement on one hand and then ignorantly use a word that embodies the worst in the very country he's been chosen to lead ?