Ah never was an ‘Ali fan cuz ah never was a boxin’ fan. All ah knows is that ‘Ali jab ‘em quick. But so was his mouth to match ‘em jabs. So ah never really paid attention to any news ’bout ‘Ali… till this one…
Anti-war Muhammad Ali puts Barack Obama the warmonger to shame
Highlights
- Ali was drafted (during the Viet War) and refused induction on grounds of religious conviction. He was not willing to kill innocent people. He served a jail term for that.
- Ali questioned why should he shoot and kill innocents. They never did him or his family any harm.
- Ali was left financially poorer for his decision because he was not allowed a licence to fight (in the ring) and was denied a visa to travel outside the US to fight.
- One day he was asked to speak to college students at three different colleges. His reward if he did that was US$1500 per college.
- He (literally) broke his piggy bank and used that money to travel to the colleges to give his speech. But some white students challenged his stance on the Viet War. Note that discrimination against blacks was still quite rampant during this era. (1960s)
- Watch how Ali punched and jabbed them to the floor with his mouth and tongue, even when these college guys had a far better education than him.
- Ali said that he would rather fight his fellow white Americans than to kill some innocents in Vietnam. The white American won’t even fight for him as an American when get got discriminated as a black in his own country.
As we know, Ali became a very successful professional boxer America loved. But noticed his stance?
1. He wasn’t willing to fight for America because he did not believe in killing innocents.
2. He’d rather fight against his own white American citizens than to kill an “enemy” of America.
3. His decision was based on his religious beliefs.
Ali served time in jail for his conviction and belief against the wars America was involved in. But in the late 1960s and early 1970s when the tide turned and when American citizens wanted out of Vietnam, the Court overturned the sentence and Ali was once a free man again. This time, to fight professionally in the ring.
What if another Ali did the same today? -
Now let us imagine another Ali did that today. Wouldn’t he be considered a security threat, even a terror supporter? Consider these points:
- refusal to fight for country.
- willing to fight against own country man.
- cites religious belief and places that over country’s goal.
What do you think would happen to that American guy? Heck, what do you think would happen to that guy if he were a European or even a Singaporean?
So was Ali a hero? That depends who you are. If you love wars and hate blacks, he was a villain. If you are a boxing fan, he was a hero.
Very unfortunately, if you are a freedom fighter and a Human Rights fighter, you won’t even talk about him as a role model. Which Human Rights activist have you heard citing his case?
Ali’s famous quotes on the Viet War -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali
Quotes about Vietnam war
“ I ain’t got no quarrel with the Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me Nigger.[29] ”
“ No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder, kill, and burn other people to simply help continue the domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over. This is the day and age when such evil injustice must come to an end.[30] ”
“ Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?[29]
My own assessment
I have always known that Ali converted to Islam because he was disillusioned with White America and its discriminatory practices against blacks and other coloureds. He joined the Nation of Islam on political grounds. However, although I knew those facts, this is the first time I have seen him on tape how he speaks passionately about his convictions.
Again, what if another Ali did that today? Converting to Islam because politically, he thought America was killing innocents and discriminating against him? He’ll get discriminated because of Islamophobia. The slavemaster and/or colonial mindset is not dead yet.
In the 1960s, it was hate against the North Vietnamese and discrimination against Blacks. Today, it is hate against the Arabs and discrimination against Muslims.
To many boxing fans, Ali was a champion. To me, he was a champion alright. He fought for the innocents and was willing to sacrifice himself. Pity many so called Democratic and Human Rights activists simply missed citing this great man.
Stop the madness. Stop the injustices. Stop the wars.
