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a monthly column by KC Wildmoon
What's In A Name?
Ever since I admitted to holding a
"reverend card" last January, I've noticed
an increased number of people who want
to know if I'm related to the Reverend
Donald Wildmon of Tupelo, Mississippi.
This is almost as annoying as those who,
upon learning that my first name is not
"Casey," immediately begin making
cracks about "K.C. and the Sunshine
Band." In light of that, I'd like to take
this opportunity to set the record straight.
Reverend Wildmon and I are, in fact,
related.
(An aside for those who may not
know exactly who Rev. Wildmon is: he's
the guy who heads up an organization
called the American Family Association.
He is most frequently seen complaining
loudly and threatening boycotts whenev
er gay or lesbian characters appear on
television as something other than filthy
scumbag degenerates who get what they
deserve.)
Anyway, even though it pains me to
admit it, Donald and I are cousins. His
father and mine, the illustrious Col.
Wildmoon (ret.), are brothers. Actually,
Donald is considered the black sheep of
the Wildmoon clan.
I remember very little of young
Donnie growing up, except that he never
seemed to have any fun. While my sister
and I romped around in the fields of
upper east Tennessee having a grand old
time, Donald seemed to spend most of
his days looking for obscure passages in
the Bible to prove that romping in the
fields was a sin. Or obscene. Or both.
This never went over too big with us, and
we kept on romping.
One day Donald's entire family
abruptly left the area. We never did learn
why, but we suspect that it was perhaps
because of embarrassment over Donald
—he just didn't seem to fit in. Years
later, Donald surfaced in Tupelo-sans
family-and it's just been plain embarrass
ing to us ever since as we read about his
absurd tirades against anything that does
n't fit his idea of family.
The saving grace, I guess (and we
heard this one through the grapevine), is
that he was uncomfortable with a name
like "Wildmoon." Apparently he felt
having "moon" in one's name was just
too pagan, so he dropped one of the "Os"
and became "Wildmon." This, thankful
ly, made it more difficult to connect
Donald and me, but I guess this
Reverend thing just made people think
about it more closely.
Donald and I do share some
Wildmoon family traits, though. I sup
pose there must have been something
that stirred both of us to become rev
erends, although whatever possessed him
to do it the more traditional way I'll never
understand. We are both considered by
some too opinionated for our own good.
The word "obnoxious" is frequently used
to describe us, and I have personally
observed that both Donald and I have a
tendency to offend Queers. And I've
heard it said about both of us, more than
once, that our view of the world and her
peoples is somewhat askew.
That's the way it is with Wildmoons.
My dear mother always told me that I
should ask questions, listen to the
answers, and make up my own mind
about everything. She told me I'd make
mistakes, and that some people would
become, shall we say, irritable about
some of the questions I'd ask. And she
told me that whatever I did in life, the
important thing was that I be happy.
Sometimes that's worked, and some
times it hasn't. I wonder about Donald,
though. He's so unlike the rest of the
Wildmoons. I don't know that he's ever
questioned anything, and I never recall
him having fun. I'm not even sure where
he got some of his ideas about "family."
Maybe these strange aberrations do hap
pen occasionally in even the best of fami
ly units.
I do want to believe that there's hope
for Donald, though. After all, he is kin.
He can put that "0" back in the name and
go dance under a full, wild moon. The
Col. & Mrs. Wildmoon, my sister and I
will welcome him back to the fold.
ATLANTA sg&flOClt
April 11,1991
Patrick:
Thank you for your letter of April 6
and the enclosure of an article written by
Padraig MacManus McLoughlin in
GLAAD Tidings.
While I can certainly appreciate your
passionate letter and the spirit and cause
in which it was written, I must disagree
with some of your facts.
Clearly, a letter-writing campaign is
underway, of which I'll welcome and
deal with each, but let's first understand
the position of the radio station in this
matter.
It is not our "nature" to operate under
a position of "gay bashing" to gamer an
audience. There is no "attitude" that per
meates these halls. I cannot honestly say
that an occasional joke of a homosexual
nature does not make its way on the air
waves. But I can honestly say that Loma
Love is not a "gay basher," and I chal
lenge you to find her using the word
"fag" on our air, ever.
While we are certainly not promoters
of the gay lifestyle, we do actively sup
port charities that are close to its cause,
most specifically in the form of AIDS
funding and research. The T.J. Martell
Center for Cancer and AIDS Research is
an association founded by the music
industry as a whole and supported locally
by 96 ROCK in the form of fund raising
benefits and Public Service
Announcements. Just two months ago,
we had cast members and the director of
"Heartstrings," on the air (in morning
drive time) promoting the play and urg
ing support of its cause...AIDS funding
and research. Last Fall, when the AIDS
quilt was travelling the country, it was 96
ROCK (the only Atlanta Radio Station)
that had its organizers on our air promot
ing the appearance at Oglethorpe
University and it was Loma Love who
greeted the crowd at Oglethorpe and
again urged support of this worthwhile
cause.
No, we are not perfect. Again, I won't
deny an occasional presence of a joke
about the homosexual lifestyle on the air.
And, I have reminded our air staff that
the word "faggot" is not to be used on our
air. But, I'll be quick to urge you to take
action and your obvious energy and chan
nel it towards a more positive approach.
Instead of monitoring for any slight dis
crepancy in how you perceive gays
should be represented, work to present
positive aspects of your lifestyle.
I must admit, I'll proceed cautiously
when entertaining promotional opportu
nities like the AIDS quilt and promoting
plays that benefit the "cause" for fear that
it might be misread, just as you misread
the operational philosophy of this radio
station.
I understand that "gays" are now part
of the mainstream of American life. It
would be foolish for me as a business
man to bash any predominant audience
segment, not to mention the personal
offense I take towards that "attitude."
1 welcome your response and urge
you to print this letter in your next edi
tion of GLAAD Tidings.
Best Regards,
Michael Hughes
Program Director
WKLS-FM
This letter was in response to a letter
from Patrick Allen.
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SINATRA,..
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Southern Voice/April 25, 1991
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