A worthy title holder
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A worthy title holder
It figures that Muhammad Ali -- who resisted the Vietnam-era draft and ultimately won that fight before the U.S. Supreme Court -- would generate more controversy as the newly announced recipient of the 2012 Liberty Medal than any of the past winners, even though the list includes folks like Iraq War lapdog Tony Blair.
In 1967, Ali was drafted into the Army at the peak of the Vietnam War. He was heavyweight champion of the world at the time and, had he reported for duty, it's a lot more likely he'd have been fighting boxing exhibitions than fighting on the blood-soaked front lines. But the war violated his religious beliefs, and so he sought conscienscious objector status.
It wasn't the easy choice. He was stripped of his title, denied for three years the ability to box for a living, and was heaped with scorn and abuse -- even after the highest court in the land found he'd committed no crime. Far from embittered, Ali has since been a goodwill ambassador for the United States -- even working to successfuly win the freedom of 14 American hostages from Iraq in 1990 -- and an advocate of humanitarian causes.
There may well be a more deserving winner of the Liberty Medal.
But I cannot think of one.
It's a shame that his brain was turned to mush in such a violent "sport."
funny, he claimed as a muslim to be a "conscientious objector" opposed to war, yet never condemned muslim wars like the yom kippur war, the iran-iraq war, assad massacre of 10,000 at hama in 1982, or the racism of the nation of islam, the black panthers terrorism, etc.
in short, he is a hypocrite— barry m goldwater
Bunch looks forward to next years winner, Jane Fonda.— jimmymack- I guess Bunch also agrees with doctors who are having their religious beliefs violated by being forced with the new health law to perform abortions? Just curious since Ali was a hero for ducking the war not for religious beliefs, but because he was making big bucks as a boxer - lets not confuse a last minute religious experience with greed here..................— reddog44
- Seems I hit a nerve with MSl - are you taking your ball and going home now? Just another case of the "smart ones" like MSL and the media double talk........... Here is an idea - how about we give the Liberty Medal to some local veterans instead of a guy who pronounced around like the baddest man on the planet - but when it came time for some real provodo he ran nad hid in the nuetral corner..........— reddog44
- "the war violated his religious beliefs"...so I guess his religious beliefs allowed him to get into a ring and severely beat people? The whole CO thing was a fraud, and you bought it...the war would interrupt his ability to make money. BTW Will, did you ever serve?— urkidnmepal
- Separation of church and state. His religious beliefs have nothing to do with military service.
Interesting how you can use religious beliefs to dodge the draft, but just try to use that excuse for not providing contraceptives or abortions under Obamacare. Look out!— jmc - Bunch, I realize that you have this nostalgic, romantic, born and raised in suburbia going to private schools and attending an Ivy League/ Ivory Tower academic factory too late for the 60s mentality, but those years weren't that great. I was there. You read about them.— tudorcity
- Any particular reason my post exposing msl's blatant stupidity and hypocrisy was taken down, Bunch?
Why are you such a coward?— bp-philly 2.0 - A convicted draft dodger getting the Liberty Medal? Terrible, horrible and whatever status the Liberty Medal once had is gone!!
Mediocrity is alive and well!!!!— Crazybrave1
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