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 Chris Schulz, RP Staff, on Fri May 6, 2011 at 1:30 PM ET
Taking organic farming to the next level, some small producers and ditching their tractors and harnessing their oxen. [nytimes.com]
Not all non-native species wreak havoc on an ecosystem, sometimes they can restore it. [yahoo.com]
Tilapia consumption has drastically increased in the US, but the health and environmental drawbacks may make you think twice about eating it. [nytimes.com]
The greenest places in America are actually the most urban places. [time.com]
If you read contributing RP Carte Goodwin‘s inaugural piece on Wednesday, you learned that the first vote he cast in his brief four month tour of duty as a U.S. Senator was one of his most important. Indeed, Carte was the deciding vote to break a fillibuster in order to extend unemployment benefits to some of the nation’s most needy citizens.
Today’s RPTV Friday Flashback memorializes that epic moment in Carte’s life:
Okay, just in case you needed a reminder, if you look at porn on your employer’s computer—at work, no less—even for just a nano-second and even if you say it’s for research, you can and will be fired!! [Wired]
In some good news for both immigrants and lovers, Attorney General Eric Holder vacated an immigration decision this week that would have deported Paul Wilson Dormain based on the AG’s review of the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. [Poliglot]
In the icky, weird Mother’s Day story of the week, did you see the Stanley Thornton story this week on National Geographic’s Taboo? This guy (and his “mother”—actually his roommate) really gives infantilism a bad name. [Daily Mail]
And finally, a poignant, timely article on motherhood, with all of its flaws. Don’t forget your mother this weekend, dear readers!! [Salon]
Because we at The Recovering Politician care about providing you with pertinent information on timely issues, today at 2:15 PM EDT, the RP, the Contributing RPs, the Friends of RP, and even the RP Staff will be providing you with their picks for the Kentucky Derby, to be run tomorrow.
If you are a sports fan, or if you simply are looking to make a contribution to Kentucky’s struggling horse industry, be sure to tune back here at 2:15 PM.
By Jonathan Miller, on Fri May 6, 2011 at 8:30 AM ET
Today, we debut a new contributing RP through the magic of Skype video.
Dan Hynes served with distinction for three terms and twelve years as Illinois’ state Comptroller. He took two tries to leap to higher office, once barely losing a Democratic primary to the incumbent Governor (2010), and once finishing in second in a Senate primary (some guy named Obama won that race.)
An expert in fiscal management and public pension funds, Dan speaks with the RP about the economic outlook for our states and the nation, and gives his perspective on the job performance and political prospects of his former rival and current friend, President Obama:
By Jonathan Miller, on Thu May 5, 2011 at 5:00 PM ET
Friday we have some big doin’s at The Recovering Politician.
First, at 8:30 AM, we debut our 15th (15th!) contributing RP. He was a longtime, very popular statewide officeholder, who came from a political dynasty in his state. He shot twice for higher office, but each time lost narrowly in the primary, once to someone named Barack Obama. He will share his expertise on today’s economy, and his reflections on his once rival, now friend, the President of the United States.
Later, since Carte Goodwin’s piece on his four month tour of the United States Senate proved so popular, Friday’s Video Flashback will focus on his first week in office. Watch what you read about on Friday.
Finally, Jeff Smith will update his Wednesday piece on redistricting with some breaking news on the controversy in Missouri.
And of course, Weekly Web Gems…Whew!
See you tomorrow. And if you celebrate Cinquo de Maio, don’t sleep in too late so as to not miss all the fun.
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Thu May 5, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
The Politics of Speed
In honor of one of Kentucky’s oldest and greatest traditions this week’s Politics of Speed will focus solely on this weekend’s 137th Kentucky Derby. First up, get the results of the Derby prep races. [Thoroughbred Times]
Horse Racing Nation has a wealth of information on all the contenders. They also allow readers to rank each horse. Check out the ratings and give your own! [Horse Racing Nation]
The Louisville Courier-Journal has your guide to other events and attractions to occupy yourself during Derby weekend while the horses aren’t racing. [Courier-Journal]
Here are the Derby contenders ranked by money-earned. Predictably, Uncle Mo, the current money leader is also the early favorite to win. [Daily Racing Forum]
Calvin Borel is (arguably) the face of horse racing, having won 3 of the past 4 Kentucky Derby’s. However, he still has not found a horse for May 7th. [Thoroughbred Times]
As we all know, anti-immigration sentiments, prejudice and bigotry have been around a long, long time. But did you know that the genesis of the Beatles’ “Get Back” may have come from a rant against Enoch Powell by Paul McCartney during the dreadful “Get Back” studio sessions in 1969? Fascinating, rare footage of John and Paul cracking it up. [The Commonwealth Song]
The RP has referenced Barack Obama’s parents in the past, but a recent New York Times Sunday Magazine article about the president’s mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, is an absorbing examination of both an extraordinary mother and an American abroad. [Magazine]
¡HOLA! It’s CINCO DE MAYO! Do you really even know what Cinco de Mayo is or what it actually celebrates?(And it’s not, you norteamericano, Mexican Independence Day.) No, you don’t know and you probably don’t even care! Well at least educate yourself about Tequila, gringo!! [Salon]
Okay, Low Rider certainly doesn’t have anything to do with Cinco de Mayo, but it is associated with the celebration of Chicano culture, ¿sí? So go grab a slice of lemon, some salt and a shot of tequila and enjoy this live performance from the 70s—straight from Soul Train. And ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo, compadres! [War]
Blog this!
