Muhammed Ali Defied the Vietnam Draft 50 Years Ago Today

[DonViejo]

If your idea of a politicized athlete is Colin Kaepernick, consider the stand taken by The Champ

By Joe Lapointe • 04/28/17 7:00am

In the fuzzy, old color news film, the image of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a bit faded, but the voices are clear.

A reporter off-camera asks Dr. King about heavyweight champion boxer Cassius Clay, who refused to join the United States Army when drafted during the Vietnam War. “He’s doing what he’s doing on the basis of conscience,” Dr. King says. “He’s absolutely sincere. I will strongly endorse his actions.”

In another clip from the same ABC newscast, Muhammad Ali—no longer “Cassius Clay”—says he is a conscientious objector to war because he is a minister of the Nation of Islam.

In words that resonated differently on April 28, 1967 than they do today, Ali speaks of Allah, infidels and the Koran as reporters explore the “Black Muslims” he represents.

more
http://observer.com/2017/04/50-years-ago-muhammad-ali-refuses-vietnam-draft/

[jberryhill]

1. George Carlin....

"I'll beat 'em up but I won't kill 'em."

So the government said to him, "Well, if you won't kill 'em, we won't let you beat 'em up."

[Hoyt]

2. Took a heck of a lot of guts at the time. He's was my hero from the beginning.

[lunasun]

3. Just had a segment on this anniversary on our local news in Chicago

They showed old clips of Ali giving his reasons and talked about how he was banned from boxing and his title taken away until his court case appealed