I am writing to express my utter dismay that our Lewiston city leaders think a statue of Muhammad Ali being placed so close to Main Street is a good idea.

That the city will glorify a Vietnam conflict “conscientious objector” with a statue placement about 100 yards from Veterans Memorial Park is disrespectful to the hundreds of brave men and women from Maine honored there. These veterans fought in numerous wars to protect the freedoms we all take for granted.

If the group wishes to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars building a statue to commemorate the Ali-Sonny Liston fight, it should be allowed to do so, but why doesn’t the group place it outside The Colisee, where the actual event occurred?

Better yet, if this statue is part of an art trail across the Lewiston-Auburn area, that money should be used to honor artists, authors, inventors, and scientists from Maine who had a positive effect on our community.

Kathleen Case Keene, Lewiston

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