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:
Apparently, the Great White North can’t get enough of the RP’s economic analysis. That, or Mrs. RP’s Canadian relatives have blackmailed CTV News, Canada’s CNN, into using the RP as one of their key sources for comment on the ups and downs of the American economy.
Whatever the reason, the RP returned yesterday to CTV — this time via a Sykpe interview from his office desk — to discuss yesterday’s dramatic stock market jump.
To watch the interview, click on the logo below, and then scroll down on the video player contents to find the RP:
Cisco expects anyone holding a Cisco Certified Network Associate Wireless (CCNA Wireless) to have associate level expertise and skills relating to wireless LANs. A CCNA Wireless must be able to handle configuration, implementation, and support of these LANs. While the focus of a technician’s skills should be on Cisco equipment and networks, they should be skilled in operating other types of wireless networks as well.
Additionally, those holding a Cisco CCNA Wireless certification must be able to provide support for a basic wireless network, and must feel comfortable operating, configuring, and monitoring Cisco WLAN, SMB, and Enterprise networks. Cisco recently revised their CCNA Wireless exams and courses in order to reflect the most up to date information on wireless technology and wireless products. Any technician wishing to become a CCNA Wireless must have equally up to date knowledge about wireless networking.
The Cisco IUWNE exam is required to gain CCNA Wireless certification. Prior to taking the exam, Cisco requires that the technician already possess a current CCNA certification or a current CCIE certification. Many candidates take the Cisco authorized training course, “Implementing Cisco Unified Wireless Networking Essentials (IUWNE)” to increase their probability of passing the exam. Other students opt to use exam preparation materials offered through TestsLive. For students who wish to truly have an advantage over other test takers, using both types of exam preparation is recommended.
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Fri Oct 28, 2011 at 9:15 AM ET
Have you heard? Terrell Owens might have allegedly attempted suicide by way of a pill overdose. . . again. Many of you will remember the incident back in 2006 when almost the same story was reported. This time an assistant of Owens called 911 when she found him in a state of semi-consciousness. This is the last thing Owens needs as he is attempting to rehab from off-season surgery and workout for teams in hopes of getting an contract offer. Although his PR team is quelling rumors and defusing the suicide notion, this does nothing to help T.O. get back into the league. [CBS Sports]
By Kristen Soltis, on Fri Oct 28, 2011 at 8:30 AM ET
If there’s one thing that American voters are uninterested in, it is more bailouts. Unfortunately for President Obama, there’s a serious chance that’s how many voters will view the Home Affordable Refinance Program, or HARP.
President Obama is making a wise move focusing in on pocketbook issues and on choosing an initiative he can say is aimed at the middle class, particularly one that has an impact on so many key swing states.
Despite this upside, there are two critical risks HARP presents. The first is in expanding President Obama’s “credibility gap.”
When Obama claims to have the answer to a problem, voters are increasingly skeptical that he does. The disconnect began around the stimulus and TARP. Two-thirds of voters told Pew in 2010 that the stimulus did not help the jobs situation, and 49 percent said that loans to troubled banks also did not help.
If HARP costs large sums of taxpayer money and fails to turn the housing market around quickly, voters may feel that yet again Obama overpromised, overspent and underdelivered.
Read the rest of… Kristen Soltis: Make Sure Obama’s New Housing Plan is Not a Bailout
By Patrick Derocher, on Thu Oct 27, 2011 at 4:38 PM ET
The Milwaukee, Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin’s largest newspaper, has quoted “The Recovering Politician” in a recent round-up of political articles about Wisconsin. The blog entry in question referred to a Journal Sentinel article about two State Senators, Dale Schultz and Tim Cullen (Republican and Democrat respectively) touring the state in support of bipartisanship. Wisconsin, of course, has been in rather short supply of that asset, especially after tense union fights early this year. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
By Sandra Moon, RP Staff, on Thu Oct 27, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
The Politics of Food
Good news for coffee drinkers–new research shows that enjoying a daily cup of joe may reduce the risk of the world’s most common cancer, basal cell carcinoma. [Huffington Post]
Beware of fish fraud. The red snapper or white tuna you order at a restaurant may not be what you end up eating. [NPR]
Annual Food and Beverage Trends Report shows that efficiently produced foods like greens and legumes are going to be the hot items to hit our plates. [WSJ Marketwatch]
The RP’s Recipe of the Week: Roasted pumpkin seeds. After you’re done carving your jack-o-lanterns, turn the seeds into a delicious snack. [Allrecipes.com]
By Patrick Derocher, on Thu Oct 27, 2011 at 9:16 AM ET
Perhaps justifying First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative, a recent survey suggests that overweight and obese workers are costing the economy jobs and money. According to a recent Gallup survey, some 86% of U.S. workers are overweight, obese, or chronically unhealthy, costing the economy some $153 billion per year in lost productivity. [Washington Post]
Occupy Wall Street is the latest proof that populism is not a purely conservative phenomenon; instead, populism of the left or the right distrusts government as a bribed, compromised institution, and rejects consensus as a political tactic. For liberals who envy the conservative skill at converting protest movements into a sustained political force, and who want to create a left -leaning enforcer within the Democratic Party, OWS is the answer to a fantasy.
However, for Barack Obama, OWS happens to be the polar opposite of what he campaigned on as well as the message that launched him at the convention in Boston in 2004. Its “us versus them” mantra has made Wall Street its target, but its ultimate result would be a politics that is conflict-driven, divided, and bitterly conscious of the line between a “red” and a “blue” America. Obama should hear the anger in these protests, but he should recognize that it is poised to join the tea party as one more force that is pulling us apart.
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