What’s Meant To Be Politically Correct ? Did Ali Not Have A Right To Free Speech ?

I know that we all don’t share the same ideology or political views. But I’m sure that the majority of us know right from wrong. Well , at least I’d like to think that we do ! I know that the freedom of speech is one of the main freedoms that this country affords its citizens and it is a freedom that we’re all imbued with and value like no other. But at the same time that very same freedom can have its consequences. Unfortunately there those who seem to forget that and also use it as a veil for their own insidious behavior.

Ali seen here being escorted away by MP's after having been found guilty for refusing to be inducted into the US Army. The verdict was later overturned by the US Supreme Court in 1971. As a result he would miss 3 1/2 years from the sport of boxing. picture appears courtesy of si/sports illustrated / id.cnn/turner/archives

Recently on a local sports’ talk radio show here within the Tampa Bay area. The co-hosts of the early to mid-morning show were having a rather innocuous discussion on the state of race relations within this country. I knew from the outset that this wasn’t going to be very good. The calls from many of the listeners that ensued bordered on the absurd. And by no stretch of the imagination , I’m definitely sure that the screener who took the calls for the program had to be screening out many of those incoming calls. Especially the ones that’d doubt want to air their vapid views as to the state of the country and the fact that they no doubt thought that minorities were the cause for many of the ills that the country now faces. True or not , this is more of a collective problem and not one of race at all !

One of the seminal moments in race relations during the sixties the race riots in Detroit in 1967 . picture appears courtesy of time magazine.com/archives ....................

However. over the course of the aired discussion during the program , one of the hosts who happens to be Hispanic made the comment that former boxer, Muhammad Ali was an outright racist. Now the other host of this show , who also happens to be of ethnic origin , in part agreed with his co-host. But what I found somewhat galling , was that he, as an African American took such a stance to begin with. Bearing in mind , what Ali had to endure and what was taking place at the time during his fight against the US government and his refusal to fight in Vietnam. Less we forget , that during the height of the sixties and the Civil Rights’ era – minorities and in particular African Americans had to endure a great deal of abuse , physical and verbal . All as part of fighting for the right to be free bstut what’s even worse the right to cast a vote . And though it pains me to think that these things had to take place just so that the rights of the few can be recognized. It pains me even more to think that there idiots such as this on the airwaves who are so unintelligent and have sense of history . But who proffer up an opinion without any looking back at the history of this country to begin with.

Ali stands over the prostrate body of boxer Zora Folley , whom he defeated in the defense of his world heavyweight titLe held at Madison Square Garden New York in March of 1967. Ali won the fight with a 7th round knockout of the challenger and it would be his last professional bout before being stripped of the heavyweight title that same year. His return to the ring would be almost four years later when he fought Jerry Quarry in Atlanta, Georgia , in October of 1970. picture appears courtesy of corbis / Bettman ............... copyrighted material @ all rights reserved .........................

This host’s view that because Ali used the words or shall we say term ? “………… the white man is a devil “ In his eyes it suggests that Ali is a racist and as such he’s no different than a member of the Klu Klux Klan. Perhaps , I mistaken here but I think that in making such a comparison. It either proves the point that ….’ ignorance is bliss’, or that this individual doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about from the get-go. I know that the Federal Communications Commission(FCC) is wavering on the ‘Fairness Doctrine’ as it perceives to the airwaves, the print and television media. And the counter culture war that’s now said to be taking place between the Liberals and Conservatives. But clearly much of this just smacks in the face of all that’s said to be decent and of moral integrity. And if anything in trying to make a case for his argument it just showed how ignorant this individual was being. But then again, I ought to remind myself that this is the state of Florida . It still remains in ‘the dark ages’ in terms of its social and economic progression.

Ali seen here facing Jerry Quarry in his comeback fight held at the City Auditorium in Atlanta , Georgia. He would go on to defeat Quarry with a 3rd TKO. picture appears courtesy of moneygallery.com/ Neil Leifer ………………..

The strange thing is , this country decries the fact that some isn’t afforded the right to freedom of expression. But rarely does it do something when a person is actually denied that right. I mean if you’re being denied the right to vote , much less make a choice . What does that tell you about that society to begin with ? Furthermore , I thought it somewhat asinine that a person who’s on the airwaves didn’t put all that much thought before he made his statement to his listeners to begin with. Education obviously has its merits but it’s also predicated upon a student’s willingness to learn. An acute crisis the country now faces and has been facing over the last two decades.

Racist as defined in dictionary reference.com …..

racism …………

–noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

Most certainly the road traveled …..’ as to the social journey in terms of race relations’. The final destination is not yet in view. And that stems from the mere fact that on both sides of the social divided there’s a great deal of ignorance out there, that’s still being displayed. And it certainly hasn’t helped that the political climate and both parties shares a great deal of blame for that as well. From the very outset they’ve made it a part of a political agenda and doctrine that has done little to eschew the ideals ‘….of all men are created equal’. Instead there are those who are meant to be viewed as the dominant idealists , merely because of the color of their skin. Something that I for one don’t believe was being taught by Jesus Christ at the behest of his ‘Holy Father’. We were supposed to have been created in his own image , were we not ? So I guess the traits that we’re meant to share are essentially the same in some aspects ? Other than that of the color of our skin off-course !

Muhammad Ali’s boxing career stats …………. 61 fights, 56 wins,(37 KO’s), 5 losses .