Ali Releases Statement On Muslim Demagoguery

Trumps bigotry brought the champ off the bench to say a few words.

Of course, all of us old heads will remember Ali as one of the most powerful voices of the 20th century.   In 1964 Ali changed his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali, and announced his Muslim religion.  His decision was met with great  criticism.

That was the beginning of Ali’s career.   Of course, he went on to make  history in and out of the ring.   Ali  become one of the most powerful voices in not just America, but the world.  He was an outspoken critic of the Vietnam war and America’s discriminatory practices towards poor people, and people of color.

Ali’s courage and conviction, and even his boastfulness (‘I’m so pretty’), made him a beloved figure in the African-American community.  Today, Ali, 73, has Parkinson’s disease, which has weakened his body, but not his mind.

I only wish his health was better today, and allow him to speak with the force and power of his youth.   I imagine there would be a lot of issues, and a lot of people, he would take on.   At least we still have the sincerity of his words in some form.  This is Ali’s statement in full:

“I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris,  San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world,” Ali wrote.  “True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion.”

“Stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda.”

“I believe that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people’s views on what Islam really is.”