By FITSNews || A year ago, when the centrist euphoria in America over “Barackarama” (a.k.a. “Obamamania”) was reaching its zenith, we had the “audacity” (more on that later) to criticize President Barack Obama’s staunchest S.C. supporter – Rep. Anton Gunn – for a relatively minor infraction of our house rules.
What did Gunn do?
Nothing really. It was a relatively minor bout with hypocrisy, that’s all.
Of course, we found out rather quickly that calling out Anton Gunn over anything meant facing the wrath. After all, his internet army rolls deep, yo. And they bliggity bliggity bliggity blasted on us with both barrels blazing!
Fa Shiz.
Anyway, Gunn’s posse is no doubt rejoicing at the moment because he has a new book out entitled “The Audacity of Leadership” (original, huh?) in which he “explains the essential qualities that today’s leaders must possess in order to become bold and transformative leaders in the 21st Century.”
“Anton Gunn’s amazing love of Hip Hop, community organizing and politics has uniquely prepared him to craft these leadership essentials that he calls The Audacity of Leadership,” an excerpt from the book’s promotional literature tells us.
And here’s a sample of the Audaciousness …
Most are familiar with the logo of FedEx. The bright colored letters mark boxes, trucks, and airplanes all around the world. But can you see beyond the letters themselves? Within these letters is an arrow – a symbol of new direction and change; a symbol of forward movement to the next level, place or destination. If you examine the logo through a different lens, the new direction can be seen between the “E” and the “X” – an arrow. That unnoticed arrow has always been between those letters. My point is, just because you have never seen yourself as a transformational, audacious leader does not mean that it can’t be found in you. There is audacious leadership in every one of us. This model of leadership is already happening everywhere … you just have to know how to look for it.
You know, as much as we can appreciate “audacious” leadership, we’ve always preferred “bodacious” leadership. Something about it just strikes us as more … bodacious!
Anyway, is Gunn correct about that whole FedEx thing?
Let’s take a look …
Ummm …
Look, as much as we like Gunn, we’re a bit underwhelmed by what we’ve read so far – to say nothing of his FedEx parlor trick. It’s like Jackson Height’s own Mr. Randy Watson telling us the children are our future or something, which is true … but …
We’re also a little confused that someone as smart as Gunn would select such an intellectually incurious title for his book.
“It’s a shortcoming in his ability to think creatively and an attempt to gain recognition for the ‘role’ that he played in getting (Obama) elected,” one up-and-coming Republican writer told FITS.
UPDATE: And yes, we’re well aware that our headline is grammatically incorrect. It’s an “audacity thang.” You wouldn’t understand …
By Wes Wolfe January 19, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Where’s your posse at now? Oh, yeah, it’s filled by assholes who won’t even identify themselves with you (and you and I both know who those people and organizations are). At least Gunn is a respectable man, unlike you.
By Ohmaar January 19, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Holy cow, the FedEx logo is 15 YEARS OLD, and this Acorn just NOW noticed the arrow?
Should have called his book “The Audacity of Lucidity”
By Reality Check January 19, 2010 at 5:03 pm
I couldn’t agree more that Gunn (though amicable in his own way) is certainly taking full advantage of his ties with Obama to advance his personal gain. It’s completely unflattering to take the title of Obama’s book and make a simple word change to strategize his own agenda. Thinking outside the box never hurt anyone and with the way things are going, it seems it was more audacious to hope than we originally expected. I know I’m still hoping for ANYTHING good to come from this administration.
By chickman January 19, 2010 at 6:01 pm
First of all, Gunn’s book hit the mark exactly for the people it was designed for, which does not include people that believe they know it all. As for the title. It perfectly explains the passion and intensity that Gunn embodies. And by the way, you aint never met no Martin Luther the King.
By jaded January 19, 2010 at 7:29 pm
Where’s Anton’s posse? We’re still here.
By Buck Nasty January 19, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Slick Willie,
You are such a hater! You should change the name of your blog to the “Player Haters Ball”.
At the request of my friend (who knows Gunn as a stand up guy), I bought his book online last month and gave it a read. Pretty good book if you ask me. I didn’t necessarily go for the title but hey I ain’t his publisher. I guess, the man came up with a “catchy” title to send a message to leaders and as some who hopes to do big things one day, I got the message. Plus, as I remember there are two other bestsellers that have “Audacity” in their title. Obama and David Pluffe’s book are doing well. So what it aint a big deal. Titles don’t mean much, content is everything. And his content is pretty insightful and I enjoyed it. It was a quick easy read and it gave me something to think about.
A lot of people in elected office could stand to learn a thing or two about leadership. Slick maybe you should stop with the haterade and read it. You just might learn something too.
By Michael Rodgers January 19, 2010 at 8:48 pm
By newzjunkie January 19, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Gunn’s Posse? Present! Now what?
By journey1 January 19, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Anton is the definition of a transformative leader. He is honest,empathetic to the middle class and a visionary with a plan.
By 2Dumb2No January 19, 2010 at 10:21 pm
What a cockroach.
By Ratt Man January 20, 2010 at 12:04 am
Schick Willie – you Don’t Know how to ‘critique’ literature! Stick to radical journalism, where you have made your Mark!
By BM January 20, 2010 at 12:09 am
Fuck anton gunn
By Steve V January 20, 2010 at 8:05 am
hahaha!!!! Randy Watson. You may know him as Joe the police officer, from the “What’s going down” episode, of Thats My Mama!
By sid January 20, 2010 at 11:15 am
What role did Gunn play in getting Obama elected?
By I wish I loved Hip-Hop January 20, 2010 at 12:17 pm
I like Gunn, but his book sounds like as bad as if someone were to take this shitty blog and print out a couple hundred pages of the dribble here and bind it together with an introduction and end notes.
Seroiusly speaking though, I don’t have an amazing love of Hip-Hop, and therefore was probably never cut out be a leader – then again I did notice the arrow in the FedEx logo when I was a kid, so maybe the jury is out?
By I wish I loved Hip-Hop January 20, 2010 at 12:20 pm
One more thing, while I believe Gunn will rise to be a leader in this state. So many people put sooooo much stock in the “amazing job” he and other Obama supporters did to get out the vote in this sate – but a review of the results simply shows that Obama trailed McCain in S.C. at the same % rate OR WORSE than essentially every state wide election in S.C. between generic dem’s and repub’s for the past eight years or so… Why all the props for that?
By NunYah January 20, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Slick,
While I’m indeed no Anton Gunn (is he a shotgun or a pistol and what caliber is he? ;-p) fan, here’s a better example of the “point” (i.e. arrow) he made in that one excerpt you have above…
http://sportskate.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/fedex-logo.jpeg
Again, I’m not one his (Gunn’s) fans, but I do see what he’s sayin’. Not that I necessarily 100% agree with him or anything, I just thought I’d “signify” that on his behalf. ;-p
Further, the arrow was/is so obvious to most of us that, well, he coulda used SUBWAY for the same significance…
http://www.oostburg.k12.wi.us/ohs/activities/HandsOn4Teens/Images/logo-subway.jpg
Or better yet, he coulda used PEPSI as an example and written/made a “point” since they (PEPSI) simulated Obama’s (LOL!!)…
http://www.christianandamerican.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/obama_pepsi.jpg
Nothin’ personal towards Gunn nor you slick. Heck, I was just sayin’.
NunYa
By Journey1 January 20, 2010 at 1:42 pm
To I wish I loved Hip Hop:The get out the vote effort led by Gunn was during the primaries when Obama soundly beat Hillary.It was brilliant and the turning point that led the way for Obama to get the nomination.
By Jeffy January 20, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Gunn is a joke. His 15 minutes is up. So be the Prez’s
By sid January 20, 2010 at 3:36 pm
I think many would say the turning point was the slew of victories by Barry after Super Tuesday, not South Carolina, which was earlier. After Super Tuesday, Barry and Hill were in a dead heat. Barry took the next 10, or so, which was probably a bigger turning point. Since Clinton hung in for the duration, though, and still won quite a few primaries, it’s hard to say what, exactly was the turning point. But I find it hard to believe many would point to South Carolina.
By Cole Blease January 20, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Gunn’s election to the house was a fluke just like Obama’s election.
By Journey1 January 20, 2010 at 6:26 pm
Sid, I do not completely disagree with U. However, the huge black turnout in SC, something like 90 percent of black voters voted for Obama, it was clear that the black vote in all subsequent primaries would go overwhelmingly for Obama and similar with the Latino vote.That was a turning point to me b/c I knew blacks were extremely motivated and galvanized to get Obama nominated. The Iowa and NH primary did not provide a look at the minority vote.Had Obama lost SC to Hillary, the huge momentum for Hillary would have meant the end of anyone seriously backing Obama.
By carolinabuckeye January 20, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Gunn needs to look at both sides of the truck. On the passenger side (which there isn’t a seat for) the arrow faces forward. But on the other side (driver’s side) the arrow points backward. So maybe he should have looked into his “wisdom” a little more before publishing a book. David Herndon should take a shot at this guy. Without big daddy O on the ticket he’s a goner for sure.
By Chadwick Devlin January 22, 2010 at 12:26 pm
Mr. Representative Anton Gunn has never been apathetic about any of the concerns of his constituents. I know because I am always around his office. I consider myself a Republican but the vigor of Gunn when taking care of his constituents, proves to me that he is a guy who truly cares about making a positive development, no matter his political classification. To read this writer talk about Gunn like he is without wisdom makes no sense to me. I read his book and found it very powerful and inspirational. Maybe if you read it…instead of taking out convenient context, then you could learn how to be “audacious” enough to respect Gunn for being an eloquent Representative “of the people.”