He was “the greatest of all time” and “floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee” in the ring. His knockout punch terrified everyone around him and he surely had a huge impact in the world of boxing. But, how did Muhammad Ali affect society outside of his boxing career? Ali, the muslim boxer, spoke out on issues concerning military induction, civil rights and muslim rights in the United States with a burning passion. However, even though the boxer influenced many people and fought out against many social issues in the world, with an emotional and powerful heart, his views and efforts did not change how many people view these issues today. Before becoming a world-class boxer, Ali had a rough start to his life. As an African-American Muslim, …show more content…
Ali is known so greatly and respected so widely because of his remarkable boxing career, not his political views. Realistically, his views made a very small change, if any, on the majority views of the US. For example, refusing military induction under a draft is still illegal in the United States. If someone were to mimic the actions of Ali, they would be arrested and wouldn’t be respected for the refusal like Ali was. No changes were made in this aspect at all by Ali. Another example is civil rights. In today’s society, racism is obviously still present. The views of Ali did not change the world’s views enough for racism to be a small problem. Even members of the original civil rights movement fathered by Dr. King and Malcolm X disapproved of the actions of Ali. Roy Wilkins, a close friend of King, stated that, “Cassius Clay may as well be an honorary member of the white citizen councils” (Staufenberg). Wilkins believed that Ali and all his fame were allowing him to live the life of a rich white man, but in a black Muslim man’s body. The fortune of that Muslim man has not changed much either. Muslims in the US are still discriminated against by high leveled officials in our government. For example, President Donald Trump, who recently put a ban on all people from seven Muslim majority countries from entering the United States. More recently, Ali’s son, Muhammad Ali Jr., was stopped at an airport to be questioned due to suspicion of the airport staff, who repeatedly asked Ali Jr. for hours “Are you Muslim?” and “Where did you get your name from?”
The first reason Muhammad Ali isn't a hero is because he is violent. For almost all of his life he fought in boxing matches that all started when he was a boy because he wanted to beat up the kid who stole his bike. For 14 years, on-and-off, he was heavyweight champion and before that a lightweight champion. To do this, you had to have the rage to hurt your opponent. Muhammad Ali even said, “I believe in the eye-for- an-eye business, I got no respect for a man who won’t hit back. You kill my dog, you better hide your cat” (Myers 36). Now, in his 60’s,...
history in the 1950's and 1960's by hitting the society. Ali was a great boxer who was very confident in his boxing game. Ali wanted to make a change in society by trying to get rid of the racial discrimination in America. Ali was also against the war in Vietnam. Ali said “Unless you have a very good reason to kill, war is wrong.” Ali sent messages of hope to the African American community by telling them to have pride. Ali said “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people while so called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs?” Ali said “The Vietnamese had nothing against him” (Schwartz).When he was drafted to fight in the war, a lieutenant called Ali by his real name, Cassius Clay, and he said, “Sir that isn't my name, my name is “MUHAMMAD ALI!” Ali said, again “Sir that is a slave name my name is “MUHAMMAD ALI” (Muhammad Ali [HH:MM:SS]). After that, Ali refused to serve in the Vietnam War. This lead Ali to the Supreme Court, and he was five years in imprisonment. Ali was precluded from the athletic commissions for fighting in the United States for three and a half years. Even though Ali was released from his five year sentence, he still had a jail sentence of four years, which was overturned by the Supreme Court (Schwartz). Ali was also stripped of the heavyweight boxing title because he refused to serve in the draft Following his suspension, Ali reclaimed
According to the book mentioned on the last page, Ali’s example was an inspiration for countless African Americans. In the book Kareem Abdul – Jabbar is quoted saying, “I remember the teachers at my high school didn’t like Ali because he was so anti – establishment and he kind of thumbed his nose at authority and hot away with it. The fact that he was proud to be a Black man and that he had so much talent . . . made some people think that he was dangerous (Citation). According to Kareem Abdul – Jabbar people at the time would started to question African Americans because of how they went against the authority. Furthermore, the book goes on to discuss how Ali inspired Martin Luther King, Jr. During the time period of the Vietnam War, Martin Luther King, Jr. was reluctant to focus on addressing the Vietnam War for a fear of parting away from the Johnson Administration and the administration’s support for civil rights agenda.
Ali proved to be a strong-willed individual that did leave a huge impact on America, but what impact had increased as time continued and his faults have been somewhat forgotten. Those believing that Muhammad was more of a hero than Jackie Robinson most likely feel that Ali’s action of standing up against the United States government, when he was drafted, was an act of courage and bravery. The main reason why Ali didn 't wish to go to war in Vietnam was because he believed he shouldn 't be fighting for a country that ultimately didn 't support his own people within its own borders. Ali has developed into a figure of courage after the time that his happened. In the 1960s when this originally happened, Ali had more enemies as a result of his religious and social views and ideas than fans. Today we see that what he did may be considered heroic, but back when it actually occurred, Ali was seen as a nuisance to America. He was spreading word and influencing people to act against their own country in a time of war. Since Muhammad Ali’s retirement from boxing the course of time has faded criticism of Ali and left mostly just the positive parts of his life and career. As a society we’ve buried the controversial side of Ali’s existence in our minds and history simply remembers his greatness as an athlete. Robinson had an impact on
At first, Muhammad Ali had no intension of boxing. After his bike was stolen, in the month of October 1954, when he was twelve, his whole life was set. Upon finding out that there was a police officer in the basement of a gym, Ali went down to the officer in a shocked state of mind demanding a "state wide bike hunt" for hsi stolen bicycle. But all the cop told him to do was to learn to fight. and that
Muhammad Ali is an example of an athlete who used politics in sports to advocate for the Civil Rights movement and protest the war. As an Olympic gold medalist, heavy weight titlist, and many other victories, he used the fame for humanitarian efforts. Ali refused to serve in Vietnam due to his religion and as a result, he was stripped of his 1967 title. He retired in 1981 with an incredible 59 wins and five losses, but he will always known as symbol of courage, will power and strength, not for his career milestones, but for breaking racial barriers.
Shortly after winning the Gold Medal, Ali started looking for better opportunities by saying, “that was my last amateur fight, I’m turning pro, but I don’t know exactly how. I want a good contract with a good manager.” Ali felt that he was on top of the world after winning in the Olympics and felt confident that people of the U.S. would be proud of his accomplishment as he brought home the “Gold”. What Ali would return to find wasn’t anything like he had expected.
The brutality of the police is a great example. Within the Nation, however, some political moves were also taken towards blacks acquiring their civil and human rights. The Nation’s efforts seemed to be at it’s all time high from 1960-1965 during the time Muhammad and Malcolm X, as his right hand man, led the Nation. After that time period, however, the nation seemed to fall apart. Once Malcolm X was dismissed from the Nation, the Nation and it’s followers seemed to become a bit quieter.
Boxer Muhammad Ali, was born as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., on January 17, 1942, he was the son of Marcellus Clay Sr. and Odessa Grady Clay. He lived in Louisville, Kentucky where he experienced discrimination and racial prejudice towards himself and his family, which led him to his fascination towards boxing. Later in his life, he would win the Olympic gold medal for boxing in 1960 and became the world heavyweight boxing champion in 1964, and was the first fighter to recapture heavyweight champion three times. But Clay was not only a boxer, he was also a philanthropist and social activist with astonishing effrontery, he spoke out against problems such as race, religion, and politics that cause him to become such a controversial figure.
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. later known as Muhammad Ali, was a black boxer, and was proud of it. Many African Americans were ashamed of their color, but Ali was different. He was the first boxer to win the Heavyweight Championship 3 different times. He had a great personality and was liked by the people. During his life, he made big decisions that changed the course of his life completely. Muhammad Ali's journey through life was a great inspiration for African American people, but Ali himself deserves the admiration of everyone.
When prominent boxers of the 20th century are discussed, many heavyweight champions are mentioned. Names like Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier always find their way to the front of the conversation. But it is Muhammad Ali, a three-time heavyweight champion and political activist, who always seems to find the forefront of it all. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, Ali came into the ring after his bike was stolen at the age of twelve. He brought up his anger to Officer Joe Elsby Martin Sr. who suggested he start boxing. Ali quickly became a star after winning a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics. At 6’3”, Ali demonstrated extraordinary speed and accuracy and he quickly became a contender for the heavyweight title.
He was fearless. He was powerful. His footwork was more beautiful than a ballet dancer. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist. He is the G.O.A.T of boxing. He is… Muhammad Ali. I will inform you about the biography of Muhammad Ali of how people saw him in real life, the Movie Ali how it portrayed Muhammad Ali based on his life through screen write, and the Vietnam War. Muhammad Ali is considered one of the greatest athletes in boxing history, but before there was the Greatest of All Time or the acronym G.O.A.T World Heavy Champion Muhammad Ali, he was just a little kid that went by the name Cassius Clay.
Hauser, Thomas. "The Importance of Muhammad Ali." The Glider Lehrman Institute of American History, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.
Cassius Clay Jr. or known to many people as ‘Muhammad Ali’ was born in Louisville, KY on January 17th , 1942 He was the first Heavyweight Boxer to win the Heavyweight title three times, his professional career lasted about twenty one years, in that time he won a total of fifty six fights. Most people do not know Cassius changed his name to ‘Muhammad Ali’ because of his religion, History.com staff.(2-4) Muhammad Ali’s early career before becoming a professional boxer, how he worked his way to become the Heavyweight Champion of the World, him converting his religion to Islam and his life after boxing.
Muhammad Ali is an example of an athlete who voiced his political ideologies in sports to advocate for the Civil Rights Movement and protest the War. As an Olympic gold medalist, heavy weight titlist, and many other victories, he used the fame to project his humanitarian efforts. Ali refused to serve in Vietnam due to his religion and as a result, he was stripped of his 1967 title . He retired in 1981 with an incredible 59 wins and five losses, but he will always known as symbol of courage, will power and strength, not for his career milestones, but for breaking racia...