Community Chat

[Noel7]

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@bells4me wrote:

Don't care, a draft dodger.

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@bells4me

You might want to read about him.  First of all, he wasn't a draft dodger.  I could tell you about those who were, you knew them, as they were also famous.

I urge you to read about conscientious objectors.  Look it up in Wiki.

Listen now: The American Supreme Court said he was right. 

He was an Ambassador of Peace, traveling the world and saving lives, including American lives.  And you don't care?  That's just sad.

[Noel7]

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@PhilaLady1 wrote:

@Noel7 , my pleasure.  It's my way of honoring the man.

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@PhilaLady1

I wanted my daughter to know more about Muhammad Ali so I read your post to her this morning.  I started to cry when reading the history of your family,  She was incredibly touched and called her father into the room to have me read it to him.  At the end, the first thing he said was, "She writes well."

So again, thank you   And I am so glad your family and the others made it out safely.

[terrier3]

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@sidsmom wrote:

Just because alot of people did it, it was right?

I'm sure there were many, many soldiers of many, many different faiths,

that fought over in Vietnam.   A draft dodger is one thing, but using religion as a 'guise' to skip out? Just makes it worse. 

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He was a conscientious objector at a time when that wasn't very popular.

He was stripped of his boxing title and faced 5 years in prison.

I admire him for the strength of his convictions. He was on top of the world and was willing to lose everything for his faith.

And in the end, the SCOTUS agreed with him!

[PhilaLady1]

@Noel7 , oh my goodness - that's so sweet. You are awesome ! Thanks.

[Susan-QVC]

@Tinkrbl44 Please keep this thread on topic or risk locking. 

[Trinity11]

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@PhilaLady1 wrote:

Please allow me to tell my story and memories of Mr. Ali.

For short time in the early 70's, Muhammed Ali bought a house in Philadelphia and lived there for a few years.  His house was  right across a creek that separated his neighborhood from mine.

Every weekend when we did not have school, religious obligation, or anything else our parents wanted us to do, we kids would ride our bikes and knock on his door, to shake hs hand, or ask for an autograph, or just to say Hi and meet him.  I'm not talking mobs of kids.  We were always respectful and would only go in a group of 2 or 3.  If we saw other bikes on his porch or other kids around, we would go home and come back another day.

Now let me tell you this... it shouldn't and doesn't matter, but back then it did.  We were children of families that escaped the Nazi's just in time from Central Europe and Italy.  Jews and Catholics living together in a tiny corner of the city where our families settled after arriving at Ellis Island in NY.  We were not Black, and we were not Muslim.  Some people had a problem with that, and well, I'll say fearful that 10 or 12 year old kids are knocking on a stranger's door.

Anyway, my point is that Mr. Ali was ALWAYS kind and welcoming.  ALWAYS openning his front door, chatting with us for a few minutes, autographing pictures we brought with us of him.  EVERY WEEKEND.

I feel almost like his passing is a personal loss.  He truly was the Greatest.

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Thank you for your beautifully written contribution to this thread. I really enjoyed reading it.....

[hsawaknow]

It is whats inside a mans heart that matters. Even though he chose a career in Boxing, his heart was in humanity. He always took the time to stop with a fan and take a photo or sign an autograph, or do charity work.

When it came time for his boxing matches he had to put on his boxing persona. The two were not the same.

Let the man rest in peace, a gentle man with a huge and loving heart.

[madzonie]

Our society gives MANY of so-called "draft dodgers" and people who have affairs a LOT of leeway.

BTW I don't think Ali was a "draft dodger."  He was a conscientous objector for religious reasons & beliefs.

[JaneMarple]

Mr. Ali was a true humanitarian, I've just finished reading a story from today's NY Daily News about a memorial service that was held in his parent's church in Louisville, Kentucky.. The church WAS PACKED with people that knew him from a child to people who had never met him but loved him. His brother was overcome with emotion and said that he lost his best friend.

This church continued to be financially supported by Mr. Ali to take care of the needy in the congegation, each time he came to town he donated money for their food pantry. He even went to church services with his father despite converting to Islam. This story is just a drop in the bucket compared to the thousands that remain untold.

[Lucky Charm]

Has anyone read about Muhammad Ali, Junior?

I had no idea he existed.  But he gave an interview about 2 years ago and he was literally destitue (no running water, about to be evicted, lived in the south side of Chicago) food stamps. 

But what was heartbreaking was the fact that he didn't get to see his dad much I guess because of all the wives/marriages and other children. 

Now I don't know him and what happened that he ended up in such poverty.  But I'm hoping that something was left to him---especially since his father donated to thousands of other people, without knowing their *story*.

I hope so, anyway.  Muhammad Ali, Junior has small children that need to be taken care of.