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:
As part of his role as a member of Politico’s Arena, contributing RP Jeff Smith was asked whether or not Presidential contender Michele Bachmann could survive a series of gaffes over the past year, including stating that the Revolutionary War began in Concord, N.H. rather than Concord, Mass.
Here’s Jeff’s response:
I don’t think gaffes like this are a big problem for a candidate like Bachmann as she seeks the nomination.
The Republican Party has long appealed to the anti-intellectual strain of the electorate, starting with Nixon and his lambasting of academics (a concerted attempt to bring in the Wallace vote), continuing through Reagan and Bush 43, and culminating in Palin know-nothingism. If anything, these mistakes are often “owned” and used as a self-effacing badge of honor (see “misunderestimate,” “refudiate,” and “I can see Russia from my house”), against media and academic elites who actually care about electing leaders with a mastery of basic grammar and American history.
Of course, gaffes like this, and her out of the mainstream views, will ensure that she will never be president.
By Robert Kahne, RP Staff, on Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
The Politics of Basketball
The New Orleans Hornets are still smarting because their second best player, forward David West, has opted out of his contract and is moving teams. Where will he wind up? The Big Lead says that if it is New Jersey, big things could happen. [The Big Lead]
The NFL isn’t the only league facing a lockout soon. The NBA is in severe danger of work stoppage. This piece lays blame squarely on the shoulders of the owners–and I agree with him more than just a little. [Hoops Hype]
When North Carolina State won the NCAA men’s basketball championship in 1983, basketball changed forever. If you are a hoops fan, you have probably seen the video–a 30 foot heave falling short, a magical tip in, and Jim Valvano running onto the court looking for somebody to embrace. When Jim Valvano died in the early 90s, the run became even more magical. This week, the man who made the tip, Lorenzo Charles, also died. This is the NYT obituary, and a more personal piece from a man who writes for Gawker. [New York Times] [Deadspin]
John Calipari has kept my Kentucky Wildcats in the news recently. After receiving all kinds of press for getting a raise, he has been asked several times about how a system could be devised in which college athletes get paid. Deadspin calls his plan “shockingly logical.” I call it “just.” [Deadspin]
The NBA draft happened last week. Here is the ESPN discussion of winners and losers. My winners: Detroit, Washington, Utah, Cleveland, and John Calipari. My losers: Sacramento, Houston, and The Big East. [ESPN]
In today’s Facebook culture, we all have an opportunity to share with the world our favorite pop culture: books, magazines, musicians, movies, etc. Head to my page, and you get a candid look at the artists and writers whom I enjoy — from Springsteen to Twain to Tony Soprano.
But while I don’t mislead my “friends,” I must admit — particularly from my previous political perch — that I’ve never engaged in full pop culture disclosure. Indeed, I have some unusual favorite acts and shows about which I’m a little embarrassed to admit.
Since part of my recovery as a recovering politician is complete candor, I will now finally admit some of my most guilty pop culture pleasures. I hope you still respect me in the morning.
Here goes:
5. ” I Want it That Way,” The Backstreet Boys
A boy band? Why are you looking at me like that? First of all, two of BSB are Kentucky boys; one’s even from Lexington. Sure they’re purty. And frankly I can’t stand most of their music. But have you ever listened to this song? The harmonies are exquisite, the lyrics are charming, and the performance is pitch-perfect. I even get a little verklempt listening to it. So what if I make sure my car windows are closed before I start belting the chorus along with them? I am proud to finally admit it — I want it that way!
4. People Magazine
Finally, 20 years of blackmail by my barber are over. No longer will I hide my People underneath a Sports Illustrated cover. I will revel in the celebrity-friendly gossip, the true tales of ordinary bravery or tragedy, the truly significant debate over who is really the sexiest man alive! (My vote still goes to George Clooney.) While I never touch the mean-spirited tabloids, and I’ve outgrown the uber-sophomoronic lad mags, I will now fully embrace my inner fanboy and simply accept that a haircut is not complete unless I have scoured two Peoples. And I dare you to try to resist its all-American charm.
3. MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenges
If Real World is the grandaddy of reality programming, than this “spinoff” is its seriously deranged cousin. I’ve recently grown tired of the standard Real World formula: take 7 great looking, stupid young people, give them lots of alcohol and watch them fight and “hook up.” The Challenges take the prettiest, the stupidest, and the least alcohol-resistant, take them to an exotic location, ply them with booze, place them in ridiculous competitions, and offer the “winner” loads of money. Watch them scheme, backstab, betray, and otherwise destroy each other. What results is the week’s funniest 60 minutes of television.
Read the rest of… The RP’s Top 5 Guilty Pleasures: What Are Yours?
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Tue Jun 28, 2011 at 6:21 PM ET
If you read nothing else today, read this. Former Washington Post reporter and Pulitzer Prize winner Jose Antonio Vargas writes of his life in America as an undocumented immigrant. [NY Times]
A little humor to brighten your day: The New Yorker contemplates how Al Qaeda can rebrand itself for the twenty-first century. [New Yorker]
Girl power! Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor discusses overcoming sexism as a law student and her path to an amazing career. [The Atlantic]
Something that will need some major recovery after the presidential election: Jon Huntsman’s waistline. Apparently he’s a big fan of street food, namely taco trucks. [Esquire]
How did Greece’s economic situation blow up into a mess that is affecting all of Europe? [Newsweek]
By Robert Kahne, RP Staff, on Tue Jun 28, 2011 at 3:30 PM ET
The Politics of Film
I went to see Cars 2 over the weekend. It is terrible. I don’t understand how Pixar, who up until this point had never made a bad film, did such a shoddy job with this film. The best part of Cars 2 was the preview for their next film, Brave, which will hit theaters next summer. You can watch the trailer at the link. [The Movie Blog]
The film world lost a key member last week when Peter Falk died. Falk was probably most famous for playing Columbo on television, but he earned back to back Best Supporting Actor nominees, and was also in two of my favorite films: The Princess Bride and It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. [Film Junk]
Clint Eastwood has been slated to (re-)re-make A Star Is Born with Beyonce Knowles starring. The original remake (OXYMORON ALERT) starred Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. Which may be an even more random pairing than Beyonce and DiCaprio. [Guardian]
As a kid, I loved the Lois Lowry book The Giver. A film adaptation is apparently in the works with Jeff Bridges playing the old guy who feels everybody’s pain. I am excited about this. [/Film]
One time I asked my room mate what his favorite movie was. He thought for a second and replied “Quintin Tarantino.” I echo that sentiment–all of his films are amazing and I love everything he has ever directed. His next picture is entitled Django Unchained and is set during slavery in Mississippi. It’s the story of an escaped slave who meets with a German dentist-turned-bounty hunter and tries to rescue his wife. How Tarantino-esque! Christoph Waltz, who shined bright as Hans Landa in Tarantino’s last picture Inglourious Basterds will play the bounty hunter, and news has been released saying Jamie Foxx will play the escaped slave. I am excited about this, too. [Deadline]
Joel Courtney has received rave reviews for his work as the kid from Super 8. He has now been tapped to play Tom Sawyer in an upcoming adaptation of the Mark Twain classic. Since our last viewing of these stories involved Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Brad Renfro, I am also excited about this. [Movie Line]
By Kristen Hamilton, RP Staff, on Tue Jun 28, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET
The Politics of Fashion
Wow. It is almost here. In two more days, I will board my first flight ever and embark upon an unforgettable adventure. As I prepare to leave for Paris later this week, I am reminded of how much I despise packing. I was forewarned to not shop before leaving for Paris, but I could not resist consistently stalking Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and American Apparel throughout the summer in hopes of turning my college-girl wardrobe, i.e. the typical t-shirts and jeans combo, into Parisian chic. Apparently, French fashion is a big deal (duh?!), so let’s just say I had to make some new additions to my already overbearing wardrobe. Outside of worrying about my hair (don’t judge me; I hear France has hard water!), one of my biggest concerns is looking fashionably cute. Vain, right? I know. But I can’t help it – I am going to the fashion capital of the world.
Read the rest of… The Politics of Fashion: An American Girl in Paris, Part 1
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Tue Jun 28, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
Rest in peace, Nick Charles. CNN’s first sportscaster died on Saturday after a two-year struggle with bladder cancer. [CNN]
New York legalized gay marriage over the weekend, and you better believe that Twitter went crazy. Here’s a list of the 11 best celebrity tweets from the weekend. [Time]
Speaking of gay marriage… Jon Stewart let the New York Senate have it when, during the time they could have been working on passing gay marriage, they debated about making sweet corn the state vegetable. [NY Magazine]
Lindsey Lohan recently let cameras into her house to film a commercial for a penny auction website. It turns out, LiLo’s house is decorated with… photos of LiLo. [Gawker]
A viral news story this week reported that Jews couldn’t fly on Delta Airlines’ new flights to Saudi Arabia, and the story was completely untrue. Here’s how the story became a sensation. [Poynter Institute]
By Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, on Tue Jun 28, 2011 at 8:30 AM ET
Last week, I wrote about my father, Robert Kennedy, and his critique of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the measure of national well-being. He said, “It measures everything except that which makes life worthwhile. And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans.”
Had my father lived, we might have started work a lot sooner on truer ways to measure the state of the nation. Sadly, that did not happen. His critique of the GDP was forgotten. Instead, other values came to govern American life.
In 1968, David Frost asked both Ronald Reagan and my father to speak on the purpose of life. Ronald Reagan answered:
Well, of course, the biologist I suppose would say that like all breeds of animals, the basic instinct is to reproduce our kind, but I believe it’s inherent in the concept that created our country–and in the Judeo-Christian religion–that man is for individual fulfillment; for our religion is based on the idea not of any mass movement but of individual salvation. Each man must find his own salvation; I would think that our national purpose in this country–and we have lost sight of it too much in the last three decades–is to be free–to the limit possible with law and order, every man to be what God intended him to be.
My father said:
I think you have to break it down to people who have some advantages, and those who are just trying to survive and have their family survive. If you have enough to eat, for instance, I think basically it’s to make a contribution to those who are less well off. ‘I complained because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.’ You can always find someone that has a more difficult time than you do, has suffered more, and has faced some more difficult time one way or the other. If you’ve made some contribution to someone else, to improve their life, and make their life a bit more livable, a little bit more happy, I think that’s what you should be doing.
Ronald Reagan’s views came to dominate the political landscape. Later, when he was asked what he meant by freedom, he described driving up the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible with the wind blowing through his hair. Here was a man truly doing his own thing, alone.
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had nice houses. They could have enjoyed contented private lives. But it was not just about their property.
What Ronald Reagan is remembered for does not reflect what he actually did. Of course, he believed in public engagement. He was a six-term president of the Screen Actors guild, calling union membership a “fundamental human right.” He was governor of California and president of the United States. He spoke eloquently about America as a “shining city on a hill.”
Read the rest of… Kathleen Kennedy Townsend: The Pursuit of Happiness: What the Founders Meant—And Didn’t
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon Jun 27, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
The Politics of Tech
Net Neutrality has been a hot topic in the U.S. for a while now. While we have made little progress, across the pond in Europe, strides have been made. The Netherlands recently became the first European nation to adopt Net Neutrality as a law. [BBC]
Many of us have access to the latest wireless network, 4G. We know 4G is fast. How fast is it? That is something we aren’t really sure of. However, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) recently introduced a bill that would force wireless carriers to inform customers of their minimum 4G speeds. [Slashdot]
Are you into photography? You may be interested to know that a start-up company called Lytro is claiming that a camera they are releasing later this year “will bring the biggest change to photography since the transition from film to digital.” [All Things D]
Late last week there were leaked memos from Verizon revealing their plans to introduce tiered data plans, effectively ending the unlimited variety we are used to seeing. If you want to keep an unlimited plan hurry and sign up so you can be grandfathered in once the change occurs. [ZD Net]
Blog this!
