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:
By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Sep 21, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
We do a good job of honoring the winners in life. A less good job of honoring those who “might have been” but who due to bad timing, poor circumstances or an odd twist of fate didn’t get to ascend as high as they could have. It’s often little more than a trivial and unexpected incident that enables some to “break through” and others to “stay back.”
John J. Hooker of Tennessee was one who had many things go right for him in life– except in political races. He is probably the Volunteer state’s most gifted politician never to have won a race. And maybe for a few surrounding states too.
Ironically, John J. and his then wife, Tish, served as the serendipitous force in another person’s life.
During John J’s campaign for governor the charismatic couple visited a Nashville church where Tish met a little girl and her family and took the time to talk to her and tell her she was “cute as a speckled pup.” Trivial words occurring in an unexpected incident that changed that little girl’s life. Years later Oprah Winfrey had Tish on her show to thank her and tell her how important that moment was.
I saw John J Hooker speak at an event in Louisville when I was a teenager. I left thinking that he was the most riveting and entertaining speaker I’d ever heard.
He is now in his early 80s and recently was honored by the Tennessee legislature for his life work in public service.
I commend the TN Senate for taking the time to honor a man who was once a great lion in the political world—a great dreamer and crusader, who was more idealistic than practical and more passionate than calculating. But who mattered in TN politics–and still has something to say worthy of younger citizens and public office holders not only to listen to– but to honor.
He came withing a whisker of becoming governor–and if he had won–almost certainly would have turned up as a colorful but unsuccessful Southern state candidate for president. Over time he became marginalized but never ignored.
This impromptu speech to the state senate at age 80 gives a glimpse of both this man’s once great promise–and the now battle scarred but undaunted persona that hasn’t forgotten what might have been:
By Jonathan Miller, on Fri Sep 21, 2012 at 11:00 AM ET
Love this piece about how an institution that was critical to my spiritual identity — Harvard’s Hillel — is encouraging a new approach to High Holiday confessions: tweeting your sins. [The Harvard Crimson]
By Bradford Queen, Managing Editor, on Fri Sep 21, 2012 at 10:00 AM ET
The Politics of The Screen
Warner Brothers has given a release date for “The Great Gatsby”… again. The film was originally scheduled to be released at Christmas, but the studio canceled that release date to take the film back into production for some spicier special effects. Now, Gatsby fans will just have to wait until next May. [LA Times]
Tim Burton, the mastermind moviemaker behind “Beetlejuice” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” opened up to the New York Times‘s Dave Itzkoff. [NYT]
After the kerfuffle over the departure of Ann Curry from TODAY, the show’s Matt Lauer’s likability rating has fallen 25 percent. [New York Daily News]
The News also reports the show’s executive producer, Jim Bell, may be up for a big promotion. [New York Daily News]
I want to share the story of an historic water-sharing agreement which will restore salmon, clean water and – most importantly – peace and prosperity, to one of the most beautiful regions in America.
The Klamath River has been a passion of mine, for my entire life.
Here in western America, where farmers are pitted against fish, states’ rights are bogged in years of lawsuits, native tribes struggle for existence and fish issues are considered partisan, the Klamath River story is unique…because for the first time a win/win, human and ecosystem solution, in the form of a historic water-sharing agreement is what’s at stake.
Recently a remarkable pact has been signed, calling for the largest dam removal project in the world, a path forward to end one of the most bitter resource struggles in our history. Years of negotiations between federal officials, tribes, irrigators, power corporations and conservation groups will lead to restoration that supports and enhances fishing, farming, and ranching…the backbone of Klamath’s economy and the heart of the Klamath Basin.
As a 4th generation steelheader raised on the middle river in California, the waters of the once-wild Klamath feed my dreams and sustain my soul. My grandparents – Grandma, a Reagan hating liberal, and Big Tom, an Eisenhower Republican – gave me the mantel to restore this river.
Now I’m turning to you to help make restoration of the Klamath a reality. Together, we will bring the story to the big screen, inspiring others to follow our path forward towards a world in balance.
Here’s an introductory video:
Our plan is simple: raise 10% of our budget from our friends grassroots style, start shooting this fall, show our grassroots support to our first funder (yet to be landed, a lot of interested groups) to get thefirst $150k in, then our second funder (already ready for $80-100K) and then our finish funder (real solid interest from friends in philanthropy), then distribute nationally, (Nat Geo, PBS, History- lots of interest here) then change the world of conservation. Today we launch, and you can help in three ways:
By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Sep 20, 2012 at 1:30 PM ET
Check out this fascinating article on “the league of dangerous gerrymanderers”: How a few determined partisans rigged Congress through the redistricting process: [The Atlantic]
By John Y. Brown III, on Thu Sep 20, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Facebook and “People you might know”
Today I received a notice from Facebook that this young lady is a person I may know and want to friend.
First off, I can’t say that I have ever had in the past, have now, nor will ever have in the future any friends who look like this attractive young lady.
Why Facebook believes we are long lost friends from an earlier time in my life is confusing to me. For one thing, at an earlier time in my life, it is unlikely I was friends with this young gal when I was, oh…say, 35 and she was 9.
I don’t have anything against her and am sure she would make a good friend and have lots of interesting things she posts on her wall. Who knows, maybe we are “two peas in a pod” and have are like-minded on all the issues of the day. But I’m going to need more information before I am convinced.
This is probably the 3rd young, busty woman I’ve never met but Facebook has suggested as a friend over the last 9 months. I also notice that all the friends of these young ladies are, oddly, guys about my age. Which makes me wonder if it isn’t some sort of gag account used to see who is willing to try to friend them.
I’m flattered Mark Zuckerberg and his team take me for such a young and hip guy. But just because many of my posts are rambling, random and ridiculous doesn’t mean I am still in my late teens. Only that I sometimes sound like it.
On the other hand, I am most grateful that Facebook doesn’t send me pictures of people like this with the tag, “People you probably don’t know.” If they ever decide to start doing that, it’s find with me if I’m not notified about such things.
By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Sep 20, 2012 at 11:00 AM ET
While his father, contributing RP Jeff Smith, has run his final electoral battle, Charlie Smith is a leading candidate for the Gerber Generation Photo Search 2012.
And Charlie deserves the honor — he has his mom’s good looks, and is already taller than his dad.
So please click here to vote for Charlie. And vote often! (Seriously, you can vote once a day).
Blog this!
