Muhammad Ali. Real American hero. What do you think?

Discussion in 'Political Opinions & Beliefs' started by creation, Jun 4, 2016.

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Is Muhammad Ali an American hero?

Poll closed Jun 11, 2016.
  1. American hero

    51.4%
  2. Not an American hero

    48.6%
  1. creation

    creation New Member

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    Muhammad Ali has passed away.

    He is admired all over the world. Especially in Europe and the UK.

    But what do Americans think?
     
  2. ChiCowboy

    ChiCowboy Well-Known Member

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    Hero is the wrong word, imo. He's an American icon, not sure about hero.
     
  3. CausalityBreakdown

    CausalityBreakdown Banned at Members Request

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    Muhammad Ali's fearless stance against US racism and imperialism is something we should all be inspired by.
     
  4. jdog

    jdog Banned

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    He stood for principal knowing he would lose everything personally for doing so.. You don't think that kind of sacrifice deserves to be recognized as heroic. After all the definition of hero is to sacrifice yourself for the wellbeing of others......
     
  5. Spooky

    Spooky Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Easy to do after you made tens of millions of dollars isn't it?

    How many draft dodgers were there again?
     
  6. jdog

    jdog Banned

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    What would have been easy would to have sold out and do a few years of touring bases. To give up everything on principal is the kind of guts you would not know anything about...
     
  7. RonnieFan

    RonnieFan Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    More than just one.

    There were an estimated number of 60,000 Americans who were draft dodgers during the Vietnam War.
     
  8. Spooky

    Spooky Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    No, (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)ing out so you can remain in your mansion while others die does not take guts. If he would have had guts he would have stood on principle and taken his punishment but instead he whined all the way up to the Supreme Court who overturned his conviction.

    Ali was a traitor.
     
  9. Lesh

    Lesh Banned

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    He lost his belt and several of the most lucrative years of his career.
     
  10. Troianii

    Troianii Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I almost feel guilty saying no, but as a general rule (there are exceptions) I don't see sports figures as heroes. I love Tom Brady, he's probably the best qb ever, but a hero? Ehhhhh....

    Ali was one of the best boxers of all time. But a hero? Ehhhh....
     
  11. creation

    creation New Member

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    I find your opinion fascinating. Do you think dodging the draft was an immoral act?
     
  12. For Topical Use Only

    For Topical Use Only Well-Known Member

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    An excellent boxer.

    Or, if you happened to be black and severely oppressed in 60's USA, a hero, someone to aspire to, a role model, a signpost to better times ahead, hope.

    And a Muslim who was a living embodiment of his religion of peace.

    Is it the last bit which sticks in the craw?
     
  13. Spooky

    Spooky Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    For someone to benefit so much from our nation then run away when it needs there help is an immoral act based on societies definition of morality.
     
  14. Libhater

    Libhater Well-Known Member

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    Religion of peace? Surely you were choking with sarcasm when you posted that nonsense.
     
  15. For Topical Use Only

    For Topical Use Only Well-Known Member

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    I'll stick with Ali's own views and beliefs regarding who and what he is/was, thanks. I was brought up to respect worthy humans, you see, so don't expect me on the (*)(*)(*)(*)-Islam-at-any-cost short bus.
     
  16. Margot2

    Margot2 Banned

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    Ali didn't benefit from our nation.. You act like it was handed to him. He took up boxing when he was 12.

    At the age of 12, Ali discovered his talent for boxing through an odd twist of fate. His bike was stolen, and Ali told a police officer, Joe Martin, that he wanted to beat up the thief. "Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people," Martin reportedly told him at the time. In addition to being a police officer, Martin also trained young boxers at a local gym.

    Ali started working with Martin to learn how to spar, and soon began his boxing career. In his first amateur bout in 1954, he won the fight by split decision. Ali went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves tournament for novices in the light heavyweight class. Three years later, he won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions.

    continued

    http://www.biography.com/people/muhammad-ali-9181165#early-life
     
  17. For Topical Use Only

    For Topical Use Only Well-Known Member

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    Not Ali the benefit to the US.

    Nope, not that. It's Ali the taker, the moocher, the usurper, the immoral actor, the coward who runs away.
     
  18. Margot2

    Margot2 Banned

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    How many draft dodgers can you name in government who are also hawks??
     
  19. Spooky

    Spooky Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    He was able to live his dream because we are free and society made him rich.

    Remember the words of Obama,

    "You didn't build that"!

    The poor guys who went over and fought and died were the real heroes, Ali was a coward.
     
  20. Margot2

    Margot2 Banned

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    Poor guys who were conscripted to fight a ridiculous war that left Vietnam a single party Communist country.
     
  21. Spooky

    Spooky Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Yep but they bravely went, Ali ran away.
     
  22. Margot2

    Margot2 Banned

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    Some people have a hard time over the success of any black person.. You see the same attitude re: Michelle and Barak Obama.. Its very sad and very revealing.
     
  23. Foolardi

    Foolardi Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    You are at least half correct.We shouldn't honor Sports hero's as if they are
    fighting wars or battling Fires { Firefighters }. But sadly we often do.
    Unless they go out of their way to do great Charity work.
    No Question that Cassius Clay was a sports legend and also real character.
    At one time The most talked about sports personality in the World.He made
    boxing.That is he kept it from fading into the sunset.Today,I bet not 1 out of 10
    Sports fans can cite who the heavyweight Boxing champ is.
    There was however a stain in Muhammad Ali's vast and explosive Boxing career.
    He dodged the Draft { for the Vietnam War }.He did it on grounds of being a
    Conscientious Objector { Many of whom fled to Canada }.he stood his ground and
    refused to step forward as his name was called at his scheduled induction.He was
    warned that if he refused it was a felony.He refused to step forward and was arrested.
    He was stripped of his title and boxing license.For 3 years he could not box in any state.
    His case went all the way to the Supreme Court.The lower court and Appeals Court found him
    guilty and upheld his conviction.However the Supreme Court Unanimously 8-0
    { Justice Thurgood Marshall did not vote } overturned his conviction.The rationale being
    that the Appeals Court gave no reason for his being denied CO status { an exemption }.
    A lot of kids pulled the CO gig.Many fled to Canada.
    I,myself was considering it { CO status } because I did not believe in Killing other
    humans on account of some War drums.I ended up with a high draft number.
    I think it was # 286.
    Nevertheless,Muhhammad Ali weathered the Draft bidness and went on to great
    heights as a Legend.However,keep in mind,he was shamed when he came back and
    it took a while for him to gain back his zesty character.Considering other Boxing Greats
    like Joe Lewis,served his Country and ended up broke.Due to his huge name recognition
    and personable character Lewis was used as he entered the Army as an esprit de corps
    to elevate the morale of other soldiers.Lewis also put on charitable fights while in the Army.
    Therefore he was not assigned to combat but rather a Special Services Division.
     
  24. CourtJester

    CourtJester Well-Known Member

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    Well we do know Trump was certainy one!
     
  25. CourtJester

    CourtJester Well-Known Member

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    Exactly where do you think he ran to? Seems to most of us that he took a stand and paid the price for his principles.
     

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