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Octafish

(55,745 posts)
45. ''No Viet Cong ever called me 'nigger.'''
Fri Jun 3, 2016, 09:50 AM
Jun 2016
“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 in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? No I’m not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. I have been warned that to take such a stand would cost me millions of dollars. But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality. If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years.” -- Muhammad Ali


Like all of us, but really: No one like him, ever.

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THere is a bad illness going around affecting us geezers elfin Jun 2016 #1
He has Parkinson's malaise Jun 2016 #2
Very much so. brer cat Jun 2016 #3
That happened with our uncle but he was in his early malaise Jun 2016 #5
He did indeed take too many hits. brer cat Jun 2016 #8
One of my genuine heroes malaise Jun 2016 #14
One of the smartest, most talented and most courageous Americans of my lifetime! Dustlawyer Jun 2016 #27
Yes malaise Jun 2016 #29
Ali H2O Man Jun 2016 #50
Nice to see you WaterMan malaise Jun 2016 #53
I have been a fan of him since he was Cassius Skittles Jun 2016 #4
Same here malaise Jun 2016 #6
Another here. His politics were as important as boxing. I suppose boxing gave him status. Hoyt Jun 2016 #9
More malaise Jun 2016 #12
Ditto.. A brave man in difficult times.. . . n/t annabanana Jun 2016 #10
Right. H2O Man Jun 2016 #51
Float like a butterfly. Sting like a bee. lpbk2713 Jun 2016 #7
And then some malaise Jun 2016 #15
prayers for his swift recovery niyad Jun 2016 #11
As a youth I learned what it really meant to stand up for what you believed in from him rurallib Jun 2016 #13
Couldn't say it better malaise Jun 2016 #16
Very much so, thank you for putting it so well uppityperson Jun 2016 #65
Hoping he's better soon. One of my heroes too. mountain grammy Jun 2016 #17
Heard him speak elljay Jun 2016 #18
Hope he fights this and wins! Lady_Chat Jun 2016 #19
Here's hoping for a speedy recovery! FailureToCommunicate Jun 2016 #20
!! Jack Rabbit Jun 2016 #21
Hoping for the best--for the best. panader0 Jun 2016 #22
Yes indeed: malaise Jun 2016 #32
Thanks for the thread, malaise. Raster Jun 2016 #23
Seeing that he's in fair condition I think he'll be ok. :) nt retrowire Jun 2016 #24
Ali! Bumaye! forest444 Jun 2016 #25
When he was a youngster my brother malaise Jun 2016 #33
'Zat right? forest444 Jun 2016 #39
I've met his ex-wife and daughter .... kwassa Jun 2016 #26
Laila sure looks like him malaise Jun 2016 #31
He's a great fighter and may he win this one. CentralMass Jun 2016 #28
LOL and thanks malaise Jun 2016 #30
+1 CentralMass Jun 2016 #34
I'm not a boxing fan either. cwydro Jun 2016 #35
Thanks for letting us know, my dear malaise... CaliforniaPeggy Jun 2016 #36
So sorry to hear this trixicopper Jun 2016 #37
An awesome moment. narnian60 Jun 2016 #46
Yes - in every corner of the globe malaise Jun 2016 #59
Prayers on the way. 840high Jun 2016 #38
K&R... spanone Jun 2016 #40
If he was 25 at his form DonCoquixote Jun 2016 #41
Kick and Rec Warren DeMontague Jun 2016 #42
I really hated reading that he was in the hospital. Solly Mack Jun 2016 #43
It's worse than that - his family is by his bedside malaise Jun 2016 #48
A long time ago Solly Mack Jun 2016 #62
What a lovely story malaise Jun 2016 #64
Come on now! Fight through, Champ. TheKentuckian Jun 2016 #44
''No Viet Cong ever called me 'nigger.''' Octafish Jun 2016 #45
I loved him malaise Jun 2016 #57
He will always be The Greatest. Octafish Jun 2016 #63
My favorite Ali quote.... Captain Stern Jun 2016 #47
"The Soul of a Butterfly" H2O Man Jun 2016 #52
Ali H2O Man Jun 2016 #49
Please do malaise Jun 2016 #54
Ali died overnight malaise Jun 2016 #55
May he rest in peace.. Stuart G Jun 2016 #56
I just rolled out my Ali posters malaise Jun 2016 #58
I was up H2O Man Jun 2016 #60
My best friend of 50+ years and I were just malaise Jun 2016 #61
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