Too an extent yes, but you must remember the turbulent times off the 60s too!! When, did blacks get the right to vote in the south again!! 1964 civil rights act!! Remember, he was very illiterate too. But, there are fools here who condemn floyd at 50 cents goading!!
There's a nice video of Don King being disrespectful to Angelo Dundee in Zaire and Ali telling Don in no uncertain terms "never to talk to Angie like that again" or Don would be out on his ass. Like someone else said, the times were complicated and it's never really black and white when it comes to these things.
kid cincinnati , people need to go and read up the most turbulent times in the 60s before they type assnine comments!!
I'm well aware of how racist a country America was (and probably still is) It still does not justify racist views...Does it? How did views like his help to change anything?
Put yourself in Muhammad Ali's place for a minute... He went to Rome in 1960 came back a hero with a gold medal. He was invited to the White House had dinner with the President. A few days later he was refused service in a diner in his hometown of Louisville Ky, purely because of the color of his skin. Who's being racist certainly not Ali. As Kid said He told King to apologise to Angelo for insulting him Was that being racist??? Muhammad Ali loves all people no matter their race, skin color. Please watch that movie out now called I am Ali & also read the book Muhammad Ali My Life & Times by Thomas Hauser. You know the REAL Ali then. He is truly THE GREATEST in & out of the ring
He belonged to an organisation that believed in the segregation of the races. That's about as racist as it gets. Then again, he was raised in a white power structure in a southern state. That's naturally going to breed some stiff resistance in a fighting heart. All in all, it was what it was, he got over it, and he did more net good than bad.
chutz, go and study black history before you utter anything more man. because, you seemed to be cluless about history!!
Ali was NOT illiterate Ive heard him read. He read FARRRR better than Floyd & you could understand every word he said. Floyd is illiterate if anyone is
cj , mcgrain look these guy up off the top off my head!! 1. sheriff jim clark 2. lester maddox go and learn some history man, its on youtube . or better still go and buy some books.
floyd , is not illiterate. He, is just not a fluent speaker right!! ali, was / is illiterate he just hid it by been bombastic fool!! Angelo dundee, once told eamon andrews, not too make ali read from a book!! pac , signed 2 contracts with arum & oscar, is he illiterate too?
Ali was ripe for the pickng by the NOI He was young & easily impressed. BUT He sincerely believed in everything he did. When he refused induction into the army on his genuine religious beliefs, he could have fled the country to avoid the draft lik Bill Clinton did. But no Ali stayed and accepted whatever punishment he was given. He was a brave man. Ali now gets called a draft dodger by some lunatics while Clintons punishment was to be made President of the United States. Something not right ther huh?
I think the issue is more complex than portrayed by either "side." Ali's bravery in the ring is what interests me and it was proven. How brave he was to make a sick old sociopath make his life choices for him, I don't know. How "brave" it was to turn his back on Malcolm X after Malcolm disobeyed a direct order to be ringside for Liston I, i'm not sure. But, he definitely believed in that ****. Even if what he believed in was so nonsensical as to border on the ******ed, if you are impressed by certitude generally it's hard not to be impressed.
