Ricky Morton -- Political Prisoner

The recent incarceration of one Richard J. Morton, professional wrestler and cultural icon of the modern South, disturbs me greatly. Specifically, I have issues with the Tennessee Judicial system and its punative and confiscatory nature. Jailing Mr. Morton without serious hope of restitution seems a very draconian sentence that does not fit the crime. His prison term is simply another effort to keep the white man of the South down

Mr. Morton, for those new to the region and this forum, was one-half of the Rock N Roll Express. The RNRE had a successful tenure the mid-80s in both the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling as a "face," or good guy, tag team. Capitaliing on their image as good ol' southern boys, the RNRE took advantage of Southerners predisposition to support all things related to Lynryd Skynrd and Foghat. Claiming to be the spirit of Southern rebelliousness, the RNRE grew their hair long, wore stylish ripped jeans and colorful wrestling attire, and entered the ring to Southern rock. In a business dominated by Southern stereotypes designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator, the RNRE had found a successful formula and were virtually unstoppable.

The RNRE was on top of the world in the late 1980s. Engaging in a series of "feuds" with their top rivals, the Midnight Express, the RNRE were among the most prominent teams in a sport dominated by individuals. Mr. Morton became the public face of the group as his partner, Robert Gibson, had both a lazy eye and serious issues with public speaking. Rather than scaring children and confusing their fans, Morton did most of the pre- and post-match boasting and, in the process, became regarded as one of the industry's top sex symbols. Women and children adored him for different reason. A RNRE look alike contest generated the most fan mail ever received by Turner Sports and stands as a testimony to the popularity of Ricky Morton.

Unfortunately, popularity is a fickle beast. Morton's fame began to fade at the same time that another southern male, William Jefferson Clinton's began. The Oxford-educated Governor of Arkansas based his 1992 presidential campaign with a clear cut strategy to appeal to the common voter. He remains the first and only presidential candidate to appear on the Arsenio Hall show. He made well-publicized appearances at NASCAR races and worked with the Arkansas television producers who created Designing Women, a late-80s staple of Southern humor.

Clinton and Morton entered 1992 on a collision course. Clinton's attempt to cast himself as a Southern good ol' boy who resonated with the working class directly clashed with Morton's presence as Southern wrestling icon. If Clinton was to be successful and win the states of the old Confederacy from the Reagan coalition, he would have to become identified as the hero of the Freebird-listening crowd. That was the core of Morton's identity, and the cultural spectrum of the South did not have room for both Clinton and Morton.

From 1991 on, Morton found his path to success blocked at every turn. His popularity began to fade in WCW due to controversial booking decisions. Both Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair, two wrestlers with a great deal of backstage clout and their own share of Southern identity, thwarted Morton's attepts to become a bona fide main eventer. After his run in WCW ended, Morton attempted to work for a rival company the World Wrestling Federation. His career there was cut short, along with that of his protege, David "Kid" Kash, due to McMahon's disdain for all things Southern in pro-wrestling. Rumbles from behind the curtain believe that Clinton used his presidential office to delay an FCC investigation of the WWF if McMahon would fire Morton.

After Clinton left office in 2000, Morton's top political rival moved to Harlem, New York and cast off his image as Southern working-class hero in favor of the "First Black President" gimmick. His bloodlust for Ricky Morton, however, continued. Clinton used his residual power to keep Morton from acquiring employment at all but the smallest wrestling promotions throughout the South. Living a semi-nomadic existence in East Tennessee, Morton struggled to make his life meaningful again.

Now, in 2005, Clinton's final maneuver has signaled the death knell of Morton's career. A child support case that has laid dormant since 1991 has been resurrected by a judge in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Morton has been jailed until which time as he can pay a sum of $73,000. As a washed-up pro wrestler, Morton can not even imagine such a sum, yet the judiciary of the Volunteer State is forcing him to pay this amount. Insiders believe that Clinton and his Vice-President, Tennessee political Albert Gore, Jr., have attempted to use their power to keep Morton imprisoned until another Southern icon can emerge to bear the standard for the Democratic Party in 2008. This situation, and the political implications, bear close scrutiny in the coming days. Stay tuned to this site for further updates.