Please sign the petition below to remove the statue of Jefferson Davis currently in Kentucky’s Capitol Rotunda, and replace it with a tribute to Muhammad Ali, “the Louisville Lip” and “the Greatest of All Time.”
I just heard from the Ali family: It is the Champ’s belief that Islam prohibits three-dimensional representations of living Muslims. Accordingly, I have adjusted the petition to call for a two-dimensional representation of Ali (a portrait, picture or mural) in lieu of a statue.
UPDATE (Tuesday, December 2, 2014)
In this interview with WHAS-TV’s Joe Arnold, Governor Steve Beshear endorses the idea of honoring Muhammad Ali in the State Capitol (although he disagrees with removing Davis). Arnold explores the idea further on his weekly show, “The Powers that Be.”
Click here to check out WDRB-TV’s Lawrence Smith’s coverage of the story.
And here’s my op-ed in Ali’s hometown paper, the Louisville Courier-Journal.
UPDATE (Saturday, June 4, 2016)
In the wake of the 2015 Charlestown tragedy, in which a Confederate flag-waving murderer united the nation against racism, all of the most powerful Kentucky policymakers — U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, Governor Matt Bevin, Senate President Robert Stivers and House Speaker Greg Stumbo — called for the removal of the Davis statue from the Rotunda. Today, as we commemorate last night’s passing of Muhammad Ali, there is no better moment to replace the symbol of Kentucky’s worst era with a tribute to The Greatest of All Time.
UPDATE (Wednesday, June 8, 2016):
Great piece by Lawrence Smith of WDRB-TV in Louisville on the petition drive to replace Jefferson Davis’ statue in the Capitol Rotunda with a tribute to Muhammad Ali.
UPDATE (Thursday, June 9, 2016):
Excellent piece on the petition drive by Jack Brammer that was featured on the front page of the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Highlight of the article:
Miller said he has received a few “angry comments” on his call to honor Ali.
“One of them encouraged me to kill myself,” he said. “You can quote me that I have decided not to take their advice.”
UPDATE (Friday, June 10, 2016)
The petition drives continues to show the Big Mo(hammed): check out these stories from WKYU-FM public radio in Bowling Green and WKYT-TV, Channel 27 in Lexington:
UPDATE (Saturday, June 11, 2016):
Still not convinced? Check out this excerpt from today’s New York Times:
Here’s today’s latest news on potentially the hottest race in the 2014 cycle from The Recovering Politician‘s KY Political Brief:
MCCONNELL 2014 — Confirmation: Matthew Bevin considering GOP primary run against Sen. McConnell, asks for feedback – Insider Louisville – Quoting Bevin spokesperson: “As a point of clarification, Matt has made no final decision with respect to this race. He has, however, met in recent weeks with various individuals and groups who have expressed their frustration with their current representation in Washington, D.C. and have encouraged him to consider entering the race. … As a married father of nine, active businessman and long time resident, Matt, like many Kentuckians, wants to ensure that his children’s futures are as bright as his were as a boy. To that end, he has always been open to listening to a wide range of ideas for charting a better path forward. That is what he is doing at this time.” [Insider Louisville]
—Matt who? Tea Party vets upset with potential McConnell primary challenger – WHAS-TV’s Joe Arnold – “… A potential tea party challenge by Bevins elicited consternation from some Kentucky tea party leaders who lashed out at him on Facebook. “Would this business owner taking taxpayer money to rebuild his business after a fire be considered to support limited government, free-markets, fiscal responsibility? What happen to his business insurance coverage?” asked John T. Kemper of the United Kentucky Tea Party. Kemper has pledged to secure a well-funded tea party candidate to challenge McConnell in the 2014 race.” [WHAS]
—Katrina vanden Heuvel: Mitch McConnell faces a difficult reelection [The Washington Post]
WILL JUDD RUN? — Judd should talk to Beshear and other Democrats about Senate candidacy, Stumbo says – Enquirer’s Scott Wartman – ““If I were her, one of the first things I would do if I were considering that race would be to contact the governor,” Stumbo said. “Now, when we discussed this with the governor last week, he indicated that he’s not had that contact yet. And I would hope if she were really serious, not stop with him but talk to other democratic leaders both in the legislature and throughout the state in the constitutional offices, because I think there are some things we could suggest to her that might help her as she formulated her campaign.”” [Enquirer]
—Christian Science Monitor: Does Ashley Judd scare Mitch McConnell? [CSM]
By Lauren Mayer, on Tue Feb 19, 2013 at 3:00 PM ET
I just returned from chaperoning a high school trip to New York, taking 85 dance students to see shows, take class, and explore Manhattan. Granted, I was one of several chaperones so it wasn’t as arduous as it sounds, but it was still exhausting and challenging – try explaining to a huffy teen girl that “bed check” means I have to check that she’s actually in her room, so she can’t just text me that she’s going to bed. However, in general I can report that there is hope for the next generation. (My father used to worry that our generation would amount to nothing since we didn’t grow up with saxophone music, but the popularity of artists like Huey Lewis and Bruce Springsteen, with prominent sax players, reassured him. Likewise, I used to fret that the next generation was doomed because they were addicted to electronics, self-absorbed with short attention spans, and uninterested in reading the classic kids’ books I loved, but this trip convinced me they’ll be fine, based on a few observations:
– Sure, today’s teens text incessantly and have lost the ability to spell, thanks to spell-check and shorthand like ROTFLMAO, but they are also much more open-minded than we were as kids, eagerly trying new experiences and extremely tolerant of the more eccentric members of their group. (Remember, this was a trip for dance/theatre students from a large, extremely diverse public school, so we had the same types of characters you’d see on shows like Glee, as well as kids ranging from a senior who works 2 jobs to help support her family to some extremely wealthy kids who quietly put in extra money when the lunch group didn’t have enough for their table’s check.)
– Some things haven’t changed, like adolescent girls squealing and sighing over cute celebrities, but this group idolized the chorus boys from Newsies (with whom they got to take class and pose for photos), and even their less theatrically-inclined friends are more likely to worship movie starsn or singers with actual talent. (Of course, I still maintain the Monkees were talented comic actors in on the ironic joke, not just a manufactured boy band selected for their teen appeal)
– Speaking of irony, this generation gets it in a way mine never did. In fact, they have multiple layers of irony, so that they can ‘like’ everything from Hello Kitty to Justin Bieber – something about the ‘air quotes’ makes everything okay, which makes it not okay to tease their classmates for uncool tastes. (The weird girl in my 6th grade class who was obsessed with Dark Shadows, because she decided she was a vampire, would have fit in much better today!)
– Okay, they may not read Little Women or The Hobbit (since they can see the movie, duh . . . ), but they are fairly sophisticated. My 16-year-old son was on the trip – mostly with another chaperone’s group, since the organizers realized no kid in his or her right mind wants to spend a high school trip with a parent! – and he came back one day very proud of having bought two LPs in a vintage record store (records being as exotic to these kids as 78s were to us!) And several of his friends bought LPs as well. When I explained my turntable had been destroyed several moves ago and many of his friends’ parents were probably in the same boat he replied, “Oh, they’re not to play, Mom, it’s all about the aesthetics.” (I also love that the records he chose were by Rush and Frank Sinatra – how’s that for ironic fusion?)
– They are fairly tolerant of our generation’s befuddlement. The whole trip made me feel a bit like Jane Goodall researching chimpanzees, observing an entirely different species and trying to decode their communication methods – I’ve finally learned text shorthand, LOL, but I’m still not sure whether Instagram is a noun or a verb. But when I tried out their vocabulary, using ‘dope’ or ‘JK’, they didn’t laugh too loudly (at least in front of me).
– Today’s kids are a great combination of independent and needy – they found their way around and got themselves up on time, yet they weren’t afraid to call on a chaperone when they had questions or were concerned about their roommate whose boyfriend broke up with her via text. (I particularly loved seeing “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” with them, which is a highly stylized, odd musical based on English music hall theatre, including lots of characters talking to the audience and having women play male ingenue roles, a tradition begun with operas using mezzos as boys. At intermission, a group of the kids came up to me and told me they were completely confused, so when I gave them a bit of background, one of them exclaimed, “Oh, we just thought they were lesbians!” Which they actually thought was cool . . . . )
One other side note – it was wonderfully refreshing to go several days without seeing a newspaper or looking at a computer, and consequently having no idea of what was going on in the world. When I mentioned that to my husband in one of our very brief phone check-ins, he said, “Well, you heard a meteor crashed in Russia,” and I thought he was joking. Anyway, if you are a parent who is nervous about chaperoning this type of large trip, rest assured that it will be reassuring (but not very well restful), so take inspiration from these kids and go for it. However, you won’t have much time to act on that inspiration, which is why I don’t have a video to post this week. Stay tuned for next week!
By Jonathan Miller, on Tue Feb 19, 2013 at 1:30 PM ET
We are so proud to announce that contributing RP (and No Labels co-founder) Lisa Borders has been named the new chairman of the Coca-Cola Foundation.
From the Atlanta Business Chronicle:
Hon. Lisa Borders
The Coca-Cola Co. Senior Vice President of Global Community Connections and Chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation Ingrid Saunders Jones will retire on June 1 after 30 years with the beverage giant.
She joined Atlanta-based Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) in 1982 and has held roles of increasing responsibility around the company’s corporate giving and community outreach. She has been chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation since 1991. Under Jones’ watch, The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $500 million to thousands of community organizations around the world…
Grady Health Foundation President and former Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders will succeed Jones on May 1.
Borders also was vice mayor of Atlanta and co-chair of the transition team for Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. She is currently a trustee at The Westminster Schools, a board member at Clark Atlanta University, a member of the Board of Visitors and Board of Ethics at Emory University, and a board member of the Atlanta Downtown Community Improvement District (ADID).
By John Y. Brown III, on Tue Feb 19, 2013 at 12:00 PM ET
I am a Democratic, Scotch-Irish and English; Caucasian, Presbyterian from mid-American.
I am, in other words, the Bean Soup entree on the Cracker Barrel menu. With unsweetened tea.
I don’t get the benefit of my edgy, fun or complimentary stereotypes
A Jewish friend and law partner explained to me this weekend how a client pulled him aside and said, “You people are good with numbers, right?”
He explained he was confusing Jewish for Asian stereotypes. Asians were good with numbers; Jews good with money.”
But what are Presbyterians known for? Presbyterian is cooler to pronounce than Methodist and we have a more sophisticated fashion sense than Baptists. But who talks about such trivial stereotypes for Presbyterians?
Caucasians? Who gets excited about ordering one scoop of vanilla ice cream on a sugarcane with no sprinkles ? Has any minority group ever in history tried to emulate the dress style of Caucasians. We pick the most obvious and normal manner to wear every article of clothing. It’s like we follow a set of clothing directions perfectly as we dress each morning. And the directions say in bold letters: “No improvising! You could hurt yourself and embarrass your parents. (For Caucasians only. Others disregard)
English and Scotch-Irish? Who has ever said, “I’d love an order of black beans and rice and a piping hot cup of Earl Grey tea?” Potatoes anyone? And we aren’t known for being especially good with numbers either. We had a run with Colonialism but today that is passé. Can we claim a natural gift for finger painting maybe? No? We at least have to be more interesting than Canadians. C’mon!
Mid-America is a good place to raise a family but isn’t considered an edgy place that inspires new artistic theories.
I have yet to hear someone look at a piece of art and say, “That piece has a heavy Mid-American influence.” Or “That guy is the Andy Wharhol of Kansas.” Of course, we do get credit for Mom (and Dad) Jeans.
Democrat? We aren’t described by our party to strangers as in “He’s above average height, stocky but not overweight, a big Republican.” I guess it is assumed it wasn’t a choice for us –and hence nothing noteworthy or special–and not to expect us to say anything very provocative politically. Which may explain the whole Republican idea that sexual orientation is a choice too. And why they like to talk so much about gay marriage—it is politically provocative. Democrats assume sexual orientation was inherited and pick less titillating and more mundane political subjects. Like filling potholes. Which is important but has never been a swing vote issue in a presidential campaign. And really, who wants to talk about filling potholes? OK, I do.
Which brings me back to my lament that, basically, I know deep down that when Jack Kerouac wrote “The only people for me are the mad ones . The ones who are mad to live. Mad to die. Who never sleep or say a commonplace thing….” Kerouc probably wasn’t thinking of someone like me or my ancestors.
On second thought, he probably was. And then thought of the Biblical verse about vomiting out the lukewarm. And then went on to write his famous passage.
Even spinning through my iPod and about 100 different colorful musical artists, I can only identify with one who probably “gets me.”
Paul Simon. A short little ordinary looking white guy. With a one syllable common first name and two syllable common last name.
And then I remember not even Paul Simon is as bland as me. He’s Jewish and therefore, so I hear, probably good with numbers.
For the past several days, there have been a series of articles quoting Kentucky insiders decrying the possibility of an Ashley Judd candidacy in the 2014 race for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
My article on Newsweek/The Daily Beast, “Ashley Judd Can Win a Senate Run Against Mitch McConnell” (click here to read it), may have been the first to unabashedly defy that trend.
Yesterday, however, came a series of pieces from the national and state level that seem to indicate that the tide is turning:
(Judd’s) a sharp-tongued celebrity but also a just-folks Southerner, apparently contradictory roles that instead are complementary: Her activism would be unbearably self-righteous if it wasn’t leavened with such down-home sincerity…
For now, Republicans are content to portray Judd as a stereotypical “Hollywood liberal” … But on her best days, Judd does not settle for being a stock character. One can imagine her embracing her radicalism as just one piece of a more complicated whole: a true Kentuckian and feminist movie star whose liberalism is as fierce as her manners are charming. To make voters believe it, though, she’ll need to deliver the performance of a lifetime.
Democratic officials, lawmakers and operatives have voiced opposition to Judd, suggesting the Hollywood star is too liberal and would hurt down-ticket candidates. Judd has been described as a “catastrophe” for not only state House candidates but gubernatorial ones in 2015.
But Judd supporters are pushing back.
Former state treasurer Jonathan Miller tells WFPL that Judd could actually defeat McConnell next year, and that her critics represent the Democratic establishment who are trying to repel a threat to their pocketbooks.
“Ashley Judd would be what we call a change agent, she would be someone very new on the scene. And folks in the status quo who are everyday active in politics sometimes fear change, and I think that’s what you’re seeing here,” he says.
Backed by a liberal base, Judd appears undaunted by Democratic critics who represent the parties more rural, conservative wing. She visited Louisville this past weekend meeting with Congressman John Yarmuth, Democratic donors and opponents of mountaintop removal mining…
“Folks should take a deep breath and give her a chance to prove herself,” says Miller. “I really do think most Democrats, a lot of independents and maybe even some Republicans will find her to be a terrific candidate.”
“Make no mistake, Mitch McConnell is the most effective politician in my lifetime in this state,” said Jonathan Miller, also the former Kentucky Treasurer. “It will be very tough for anybody to beat him, but I do think she can give him a run for his money.”
Miller penned a column for Newsweek/The Daily Beast making the case for a Judd Senate candidacy amid hand-wringing by some Bluegrass Democrats that Judd is too liberal for the conservative state, and may compromise down-ticket races for Democrats.
“Ashley Judd would represent a true change agent and change makes people who are in the establishment, nervous,” Miller said…
“I am very confident that — this is a very charismatic woman — that once she does make this decision, if she makes the decision to run, and touches all these bases that the feathers will become unruffled and people will become comfortable with her,” Miller said…
“You believe either the hype or the caricatures,” Miller continued. “And if you believe the caricatures then that’s the kind of commentary we’re getting. But I think once they meet Ashley — if she does make this run — they’re going to learn this is a really bright person who really cares deeply about Kentucky, has deep roots, eight, nine generations in eastern Kentucky, and could be a real formidable challenger.”
Judd’s liberal views, allegiance to President Barack Obama and Tennessee residency are ridiculed in a video released by American Crossroads, a conservative Super PAC led by conservative lightning rod Karl Rove and a former McConnell aide.
Miller, a prolific poker player, said the web video attacking Judd indicates the Republican mindset about a potential match-up.
“One of the rules about the table is someone who’s acting really confident probably has a really weak hand,” Miller said. “I think the GOP establishment is really nervous because they know of her ability to raise a lot of money and to get a lot of time to get her message across.”
The news media, Miller predicted, would give unprecedented coverage to a Judd Senate campaign compared to candidates in other statewide races.
“Sometimes we have to beg you all to interview us when we are running for office,” Miller, a one-time gubernatorial candidates, said.
“You’re going to be begging her to be on your cameras,” he continued. “And so it’s going to give her incredible opportunities to reach people whose hands she can’t shake… through the media.”
The attacks on Judd can also be neutralized, Miller predicted, because of Judd’s allegiance to what he referred to as “Kentucky’s state religion,” University of Kentucky basketball.
“The fact that Ashley Judd is the number one fan really does make a difference in most of our state,” Miller said.
Judd attends many Wildcat games, has been called upon to help lead cheers at Rupp Arena games and frequently writes about the team on her Twitter account.
“She is someone who is so closely identified with something that unites all of us,” Miller said, “whether we’re Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, conservative and so wherever she goes, any part of the state, except maybe in some quarters of Louisville, she has that in common with the voters.”
“That’s a great way to start a conversation about what really matters.”
Miller, a Lexington attorney, is a co-founder of the No-Labels political reform group and hosts the political commentary website, therecoveringpolitician.com.
“I’d love people who are skeptical, take a deep breath. If she does decide to make a run, listen to what she says and I think there will be a lot of Democrats and even some independents and Republicans out there who will like what she has to say,” Miller said.
By Nancy Slotnick, on Tue Feb 19, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET
Be yours.
Happy Valentine’s Day are the three most unwelcome words to most singles. And to a lot of married people too. It’s not that I don’t like love. I’m in the love business. I am a hopeless romantic. I am happily married. But I secretly hate Valentine’s Day. Please don’t tell my husband, or he’ll stop getting me the obligatory card and flowers. I would be embarrassed not to get them, even though I hate Valentine’s Day. Thankfully, he doesn’t read my blog. 😉
Guys- let me tell you this- even if a girl hates Valentine’s Day, even if she seems like the biggest tomboy in the world, even if she is the most independent career girl you have ever met, she will silently turn to the mush inside the Cadbury chocolate egg on Valentine’s Day. (i.e. a sweet mess. If she happens to be a hot mess too, then you’ve got a keeper.)
It’s so much pressure. I know, that’s why I don’t like it. It’s especially unfair to guys. They can’t win and they have to be emotional on cue. Actually, they can win. If they propose on Valentine’s Day. Another word to guys- if you are anywhere close to engagement (which could even include being on a second date) the thought will cross her mind. We can’t help it; it must be the estrogen. Which is probably offset by the seratonin in the chocolate, so that explains the Godiva Diva Empire.
Here’s one more tip guys- you actually can win another way- buy lingerie for Valentine’s Day. This will show her that you still think of her in that way and it might help you get laid for Valentine’s Day. So I recommend that more than chocolate or flowers. However, if the thought of your wife/girlfriend in a Victoria’s Secret teddy makes you want to cringe because of the “freshman 20” she’s gained in the face of your relationship gone stale, I can’t help you. Well, not with a quick tip. There’s ways to approach this but not on Valentine’s Day. Contact me for coaching and we’ll tawk….
Did I mention that I hate Valentine’s Day? Maybe that’s why this blog is turning so sour right now. I think I’m being cruel and cynical. That’s not like me at all. Here’s the story of how I met my husband, as told by the New York Times, on July 1, 2001, our wedding day. I really am a hopeless romantic- believe me.
Read the rest of… Nancy Slotnick: Valentine’s Day Revisited
By John Y. Brown III, on Mon Feb 18, 2013 at 3:00 PM ET
I saw the movie Side Effects last night
A powerful and timely critique if our country’s over reliance on the pharmaceutical industry –and the literal and figurative side effects we experience, and try to deny or (in this film’s case, try to manipulate).
The film refers to about a dozen popular–and actual—mainstream meds prescribed today (from Zoloft to Adderall). But the tragedy in the movie plot centers around a drug called Ablixa.
We are told it is a new drug just approved by the FDA but not told it, unlike other meds referenced, is a fictional drug. Ablixa supposedly is a miracle drug in the film but with potentially worrisome side effects.
And so, we are left to wonder what the ultimate impact if this movie will be on our medicated society–partly healed, partly experimental volunteers, partly risking side effects impossible to rationally justify. Or whether the script option available to our mental health doctors will become once again more of the brilliant medical tool originally intended or increasingly the too-easy crutch to short-circuit dealing with complicated patients and circumstances.
And, finally, and perhaps most poignantly, whether “customers” (aka patients) will stop relying more on the “pitch” of pharmaceutical commercials to deliver miracles than on their doctors to deliver slow but real improvements.
If my reaction is indicative, the answer to all these questions is less encouraging than I had hoped.
I went home and Googled Ablixa —to see if it was a medication I should learn more about. Only to learn it is a fictional drug. And then –chastened and disappointed in myself—checking to see if any new Ablixa-like meds had come out recently. Just in case.
By John Y. Brown III, on Mon Feb 18, 2013 at 12:00 PM ET
Waiting rooms, magazine ads, and the grieving process.
It just occurred to me while thumbing through a magazine in a waiting room that I will probably never post pictures of myself on Facebook (or anywhere else for that matter) of a photo shoot of my modeling underwear in the forest.
I can’t say that I’m sad about that. Or that it ever occurred to me to ever want to do such a thing. It didn’t.
But something about closing in on 50 causes a mental shift. Instead of looking past a magazine ad I’ve seen before and thinking nothing of it, except perhaps, “I can’t believe that guy is actually posing like that. Embarrassing.”
There is a very subtle shift. Now I see the ad and say, “Geez. He’s really young. And fit. I’ll never look like that again. Heck, I never did look like that. But now it’s even worse. Not only did I never look like that….I never will. Ever. And I’ll never, ever be asked to do a photo shoot in the woods featuring my pecs.”
It’s not as dramatic as it sounds. Not really. I remind myself I never really wanted to do that anyway and that I used to roll my eyes at the ad, back when “potential” was still part of my vocabulary and could be applied to me.
And, no, I don’t want to buy the cologne being sold. I don’t hang out with 25 year olds in the forest with my shirt off. I’m not the target audience, I guess.
I shrug.
After shrugging, I turn the page.
And see the new Brad Pitt Channel ad.
And start looking for Highlights magazine to thumb through instead of the glossy grown up magazines? I’ve grieved enough for one day already.
Blog this!
