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 Aug 10, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
His Brain; Her Brain: How we are different
I bought this thick “Collector’s Edition” at the airport. As we boarded the plane my wife smiled and pointed to her carry-on bag. She had bought it too.
But here’s the difference. I suspect she bought the magazine to try to understand differences that can be applicable in our home. I bought the magazine to find out how better to defend myself and negotiate with my wife to more often get what I want.
So, even though men and women have similarities…the motives and methods are usually distinctly different.
Anyway, I think this example tells the tale. And saved me from reading 112 pages. Because now I can let my wife read it and just explain it to me.
By Bradford Queen, Managing Editor, on Fri Aug 10, 2012 at 10:00 AM ET
The Politics of The Screen
We’re 88 days out from Election Day, and The Hollywood Reporter is taking a look back at the best election-themed movies – from ‘Dave’ to ‘All The President’s Men’. [THR]
Add to that list the new election comedy opening today, ‘The Campaign’. Stars Will Ferrell and Zack Galifianakis play two rival candidates in a battle for a North Carolina Congressional seat. You’ll want to see this one. [Trailer] [NYT]
Warner Brothers is holding back the release of ‘The Great Gatsby’ to allow for more time for music and effects, and to give the film a more lucrative summer release date in 2013. [LA Times]
Now, consider the ramifications the date change will have on the 2013 Oscars nods. [NYT]
Snarky film critic Judith Crist died this week. Her reviews were seen on “Today,” in TV Guide and the New York Herald Tribune. One director labeled her “Judas Crist” after a particularly scathing review. [Chicago Sun-Times]
By Patrick Derocher, on Thu Aug 9, 2012 at 3:00 PM ET
Congressman Todd Akin won the Missouri Senate Primary in an upset after “support” from that state’s Democrats.
This is what happens when state politics intersects with national. After an ad blitz declaring him the most conservative contender for Missouri’s Senate seat, Representative Todd Akin scored an upset in the Republican primary last night, defeating Tea Party favorite John Brunner and former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman. The catch? The ads were paid for by McCaskill allies, hoping that Aki would prove the easiest opponent in the general. She got her wish, insofar as Akin won, but it remains to be seen whether this will be an ultimately successful maneuver. (n.b.- In 2002, California Governor Gray Davis made a similar move, running attack ads agains moderate Republican Richard Riordan. The gambit paid off, and Davis was reelected, though we all know what happened next.) [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Read the rest of… The RP’s Weekly Web Gems- The Politics of the States
By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Aug 9, 2012 at 1:30 PM ET
As the fall season approaches, there are few shows that I am more eagerly anticipating that Showtime’s “Homeland.” Not only did the suspenseful drama keep me enthralled all last year, but the new season is filmed in Tel Aviv! (It is based on an Israeli series.) Doesn’t get much better than that!
By John Y. Brown III, on Thu Aug 9, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Dear Olympics,
A modest proposal.
In the future, if you want to pull in a bigger and broader audience and gin up some fun and dazzling sports competition, please have fewer athletic events that seem selected by a prep school athletic director and more sporting events drawn from popular street ball pick up games.
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Thu Aug 9, 2012 at 11:00 AM ET
The Politics of Tech
The biggest news of the week by far was the successful landing of the Curiosity Rover on Mars! Follow the official twitter account for updates! [Twitter]
Here is an awesome tool that NASA released for people to keep track of Curiosity. [NASA]
Internet viewers for the Curiosity landing blew away the TV viewers by about 2 million. [CNET]
Video has been released of the raid on MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom’s home. [YouTube]
Illinois has made it illegal for employers to ask for the login information for employees social media accounts including Facebook. [Huffington Post]
The group leading Maryland’s same-sex marriage campaign is highlighting Catholic supporters, including former lieutenant governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (D)…
The Maryland Catholic Conference, the official lobby for the church, was among the more vocal opponents of Maryland’s same-sex marriage legislation this year and is also working for its repeal in the November election. Among other arguments, the group stresses the importance of having both fathers and mothers in children’s lives.
But Catholics are not of one voice on the issue in a state where the church played a central role in its founding.
Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), who sponsored this year’s same-sex marriage bill, is a practicing Catholic. He has argued that all families should have the same legal rights. House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) also broke with the church in shepherding the legislation through his chamber.
More recently, both O’Malley and Busch have appeared at fundraisers to benefit Marylanders for Marriage Equality…
Townsend, the oldest child of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, has written and lectured in recent years on the role of faith in public life.
By Jonathan Miller, on Wed Aug 8, 2012 at 4:00 PM ET
If you’ve been watching the Olympics…
OK if you have a pulse and electricity in your home…
You’ve undoutbedly seen a promo of the much anticipated NBC series, “Go On,” starring Friends’ alum Matthew Perry as a sports radio talk show host who has recently been widowed.
If you are not already hooked, here’s another reason to watch: My cousin, Allison Miller, plays Perry’s assistant on the show. Allison, (at left, and at the far left in the picture to the right) has previously starred in Terra Nova and Kings, but this might be her breakout moment. So don’t you dare miss it.
So, stay up after the Olympics tonight (or if you are old like me, don’t forget to program your DVR). A star will be born! Or at least, I guarantee many laughs.
By Jonathan Miller, on Wed Aug 8, 2012 at 2:00 PM ET
The American gold medalist explains to the New York Post that her choice of “Hava Nagila” for her floor routine was in dedication to the Munich 11 who lost their lives at the 1972 Olympics and for whom a moment of silence was denied by the International Olympic Committee:
“I can only imagine how painful it must be for the families and close personal friends of the victims.”
But by refusing to hit the pause button for a measly 60 seconds, Rogge and other organizers have committed a sin nearly as grave as denying there was ever a Holocaust.
Were it not for young Aly and her wedding dance/bat mitzvah accompaniment, the Munich dead may have never gotten their due.
“I am Jewish, that’s why I wanted that floor music,’’ Raisman said.
“I wanted something the crowd could clap to, especially being here in London.
“It makes it even much more if the audience is going through everything with you. That was really cool and fun to hear the audience clapping.’’
Raisman’s eyes opened as wide as the gold medal she would win when the judges announced her score of 15.600 points after her mistake-free routine.
Her top finish was the first by an American woman in the Olympic floor exercise, and the win gave Raisman her second gold medal. Raisman admitted the 40th anniversary of the Munich Games made her “hora” gold even more special.
“That was the best floor performance I’ve ever done, and to do it for the Olympics is like a dream,’’ Raisman said.
Raisman did not go to the Games with the star power of her teammate Gabrielle Douglas or the résumé of world champion Jordyn Wieber,
But those who know her best said she works as hard as anyone, and, more importantly, her heart is in the right place.
‘’I’m so happy for Aly,” Douglas, the first African-American to win the all-around title, said after the floor competition. “She deserves to be up on that podium.’’
“She is a focused person,” said Rabbi Keith Stern, spiritual leader of Temple Beth Avodah in Newton Centre, Mass., where the Raisman family are members.
“She’s very proud and upfront about being Jewish. Neither she nor her family explicitly sought to send a message. But it shows how very integrated her Jewish heritage is in everything that she does.”
Stern said he remembers picking up young Aly from preschool, and never imagined she’d be some sort of megastar.
He described the US team captain as a big sister-type who is a mother hen to all her younger siblings.
“I can’t wait to have her at the temple to talk about her experience,” he said.
“I know her sister’s bat mitzvah is coming up, so maybe I’ll catch up with her then.”
Stern said that he, too, was stunned by the IOC’s refusal to hold a moment of silence.
“I’m happy to hear any other explanation,” Stern said. “But short of some racist grudge somebody is holding, I can’t figure out why it would be a terrible thing to do.”
Stern said he watched the routine and was blown away. Even so, he said he is more proud of Raisman’s gold mettle than he is of the new jewelry around her neck.
“I have to say, the statement just warmed me to the very depths of my being,” Stern said.
He compared it to the iconic black-power, raised-fist protest made by track stars John Carlos and Tommie Smith on the medal stand at the 1968 Mexico City Games.
“They’re not going to forget that,” the rabbi said. “I certainly won’t.”
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