Political activist Muhammad Ali dead at74.

[Valjean]

The former world heavyweight boxing champion, one of the world's best-known sportsmen, died at a hospital in the US city of Phoenix in Arizona state after being admitted on Thursday.

He was suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson's disease.

The funeral will take place in Ali's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, his family said in a statement.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-16011175

Very sad.
Personally, his boxing career doesn't interest me much. His greatness, I think, lies in his political activism, which is generally played down.

 

[psychoslice]

Yes very sad, I have always admired him as a human being.

 

[Debater Slayer]

May he rest in peace.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

RIP. What a horrible year for deaths.

 

[George-ananda]

. His greatness, I think, lies in his political activism, which is generally played down.

I'm less sure. What 'political activism' was great?

 

[DawudTalut]

Peace be on his soul.

 

[Valjean]

I'm less sure. What 'political activism' was great?

Remember he was jailed for refusing military induction due to his opposition to the Vietnam war:

“My conscience won’t let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me n****r, they never lynched me, they didn’t put no dogs on me, they didn’t rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. … Shoot them for what? How can I shoot them poor people? Just take me to jail.”

Yes, he promoted civil rights and inspired black pride, but, like his contemporary Martin Luther King, it was his public opposition to American foreign policy that made him "The most hated man in America" (and which, like King's activism, has subsequently been quietly swept under the carpet). He took a moral stance and went to prison rather than violate his conscience.
He was denounced in every mainstream paper. He was targeted by the FBI -- both for his politics and his conversion to Islam -- but he continued his political activism.
He helped provide cover for the activists who exposed COINTELPRO:
http://www.popsspot.com/2014/01/muhammad-ali-joe-frazier-helped-burglary-century/

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." --
Matt. 5:11
"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not" -- Isaiah. 53:3..

 

[Smart_Guy]

May God have mercy and forgiveness on him and grant him paradise.

That's one prayer said for the dead in the Islamic teachings.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Muhammad Ali's sage legacy.....

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

Rip.

@§~



Muhammad Ali: Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like …:

 

[Raahim]

I'm not familiar with his career in boxing, but every death is sad for us who stay in this world.
May his soul rest in peace & may Allah have mercy on him.

 

[Purusha]

Everyday so many poor people and kids are dying of malnutrition, no coverage and no help...big deal

 

[Sakeenah]

May God have mercy on his soul, brighten his grave and grand him paradise.

One of my favourite muhammad ali quotes

" Don't count the days,make the days count .

 

[George-ananda]

Remember he was imprisoned for refusing military induction due to his opposition to the Vietnam war:


Yes, he promoted civil rights and inspired black pride, but, like his contemporary Martin Luther King, it was his public opposition to American foreign policy that made him "The most hated man in America" (and which, like King's activism, has subsequently been quietly swept under the carpet). He took a moral stance and went to prison rather than violate his conscience.
He was denounced in every mainstream paper. He was targeted by the FBI -- both for his politics and his conversion to Islam -- but he continued his political activism.
He helped provide cover for the activists who exposed COINTELPRO:
http://www.popsspot.com/2014/01/muhammad-ali-joe-frazier-helped-burglary-century/

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." --
Matt. 5:11
"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not" -- Isaiah. 53:3..

So blacks should be exempt from military service? Anyway, I won't press my point and I will let his fans have their day.

 

[Valjean]

So blacks should be exempt from military service? Anyway, I won't press my point and I will let his fans have their day.

All people should be exempt from military service. What right does a random government have to force you into "service," especially for goals you don't agree with and using methods you believe immoral? The government doesn't own you.

 

[Acim]

One of the greatest (if not the greatest) boxers of all time. Glad he made an impact outside of the ring. Long live Muhammad (PBUH)

 

[George-ananda]

All people should be exempt from military service. What right does a random government have to force you into "service," especially for goals you don't agree with and using methods you believe immoral? The government doesn't own you.

In a democracy, we are that government. I hope you are not saying we should never protect ourselves or innocent people around the world? And once the President and congress approve action then following the law is not optional.

 

[Vinayaka]

When I was a kid, I didn't understand 'the show stuff', I thought he was an egotistical jerk (referring to the boxer, and his poems, and his yapping) but later when I learned to think, I appreciated it for the showtime it was. Oft funny jabbing but simplistic poems were my favorite.

 

[columbus]

So blacks should be exempt from military service?

Yes, absolutely, no shadow of moral doubt in my mind. Expecting Ali to fight in the war against Vietnamese people is gigantically immoral.

Now, I'm not talking about now, 2016. Things are different than they were a half century ago. But then, the same people who expected him to go shoot at the Vietnamese were also protecting the KKK and keeping blacks from voting and getting jobs and , well, the list of indignities and violence against him were huge.
This is not any secret. Everyone knew about it.

Anyway, I won't press my point and I will let his fans have their day.

But did he respond to the vicious inequalities of the society who wanted him to use violence against the Vietnamese with violence? No.
He went to jail and was punished for speaking the truth and refusing to be part of the evil. He did not employe violence against the people who were his enemies, namely the cops and government officials and such. He gave up a big chunk of his most lucrative career instead of shooting at the people who were his real enemies.

So I consider him a hero.
Tom

 

[Valjean]

In a democracy, we are that government. I hope you are not saying we should never protect ourselves or innocent people around the world? And once the President and congress approve action then following the law is not optional.

OK, let me know when we become a democracy. http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746

The US is not threatened by anyone., and the only enemies we have we generated ourselves through our military and corporate adventurism. As for protecting innocent people, isn't that what we created the UN for?
We were not protecting innocent people in Vietnam, and the current function of the US military isn't "protecting our freedom," but securing and protecting corporate markets.

Following the law is always optional. The law is mercurial and frequently wrong. Sometimes the only honorable thing is to oppose the law and the government.

During WWII the German soldiers were following the law. The Italian soldiers were following the law. The Japanese were following the law. Good and honorable citizens all. Everyone was a good guy.