Things You Didn’t Know About Muhammad Ali’s Politics
Black Muslim leader Malcolm X (2R), teasingly leaning on shoulder of tux-clad Cassius Clay (now
Muhammad Ali) (L), who is sitting at soda fountain counter, surrounded by jubilant fans after he beat
Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world. Bob Gomel/The LIFE Images Collection/
Getty Images
The Root
By: Jason Johnson
June 4, 2016
Muhammad Ali—the three-time heavyweight-boxing champion, the incredible humanitarian, the inspiration
for the activism of athletes all over the nation—passed away on Friday, June 3, and the world is in mourning.
Muhammad Ali for many people was more icon than athlete. Like Jim Brown or John Carlos he was someone
who inspired African Americans and Muslims to fight oppression, move beyond the comfort of success and
speak out against injustice no matter the cost or inconvenience. Between the Will Smith-led biopic and various
tributes over the years, most Americans know that Ali spoke out against the Vietnam War, converted to the
Nation of Islam and was a global humanitarian. However, there are lots of facts about his life that haven’t been
picked up by the mainstream press.
Here are the top three political facts you didn’t know about Muhammad Ali.
abolitionist and anti-slavery activist Cassius Marcellus Clay. While Ali was beaten in the ring and shunned in
public for his politics, Cassius Marcellus Clay was beaten, stabbed and shot several times for his anti-slavery activism.
Demonstrating his newfound conversion to the Nation of Islam and friendship with Malcolm X in February of 1964,
Cassius Clay announced he was revoking his ‘slave’ surname and dubbed himself “Cassius X.”
However his “X” phase lasted about as long as “the artist formerly known as” because within months he was given
a new name that we all know today.
After Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam, Cassius X wanted a new name to demonstrate his deepening commitment
to the faith and his choice to follow the Honorable Elijah Muhammad rather than Malcolm X. In March of 1964 “Cassius
X” became “Muhammad Ali” a name that brought with it scorn from white newspapers, praise from the Muslim world
and confusion on the part of many African Americans. The New York Times as an official policy refused to refer to the
Heavyweight Champion as Muhammad Ali and continued to refer to him as “Cassius Clay” in print until about 1970.
Imagine today if ESPN or even TMZ decided to write “Bruce” instead of “Kaitlyn” Jenner in very headline as an official
company policy. But it was a different time, and Ali’s singular act of blackness in choosing a name of both religious
and African American strength was too much for media to bear back in the ’60s.
Hussein in the face to save some hostages like a Naked Gun sketch, however his actual rescue was no less surprising or
heroic. In the 1980s and ’90s black activists were all the rage when it came to negotiating with ‘dictators’ abroad. Dating
back to Rev. Jesse Jackson’s negotiations with Iran, Middle Eastern leaders loved the idea of thumbing their noses at
America by empowering a representative of oppressed people to accomplish something that the mighty American
government could not do.
In 1990, after Hussein invaded Kuwait, he took 15 very public hostages as a human shield against what he thought
would be an inevitable United States invasion. Against the wishes (and public attacks) of the first Bush administration,
Muhammad Ali flew into Iraq in an attempt to free the hostages. Hussein made Ali wait a week before even meeting with
him, but eventually the leader spoke to the humanitarian boxer and allowed him to bring the 15 hostages home. Not
because Saddam Hussein was such a big boxing fan but because he respected that Ali had spoken out against the
oppression and hypocrisies of the American government in the 1960s. That, and the fact that Muhammad Ali was a
steadfast proud practicing Muslim. The entire negotiations and rescues were a part of a 30 for 30 special on ESPN.
grotesquely racist antics, Muhammad Ali wasn’t having any of it. In perhaps his last fight and greatest knockout he called
Donald Trump out for being the liar and the racist that he is. Soon after Trump proposed his “ban” on
Muslims coming to America, Ali Came out with a 132-word statement.
Said Ali:
Ali proved that even at the end of his life, he could still land a punch. Sometimes better than anybody else in the field.
Jason Johnson, political editor at The Root, is a professor of political science at Hiram College in Ohio and an analyst
for CNN, MSNBC, Al-Jazeera and Fox Business News. Follow him on Twitter.
Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.
SOURCE: http://www.theroot.com/articles/pol...-you-didnt-know-about-muhammad-alis-politics/
.
From naming himself ‘Cassius X’ to saving hostages
in Iraq, Ali’s politics were as powerful as his fisticuffs.
in Iraq, Ali’s politics were as powerful as his fisticuffs.
Black Muslim leader Malcolm X (2R), teasingly leaning on shoulder of tux-clad Cassius Clay (now
Muhammad Ali) (L), who is sitting at soda fountain counter, surrounded by jubilant fans after he beat
Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world. Bob Gomel/The LIFE Images Collection/
Getty Images
The Root
By: Jason Johnson
June 4, 2016
Muhammad Ali—the three-time heavyweight-boxing champion, the incredible humanitarian, the inspiration
for the activism of athletes all over the nation—passed away on Friday, June 3, and the world is in mourning.
Muhammad Ali for many people was more icon than athlete. Like Jim Brown or John Carlos he was someone
who inspired African Americans and Muslims to fight oppression, move beyond the comfort of success and
speak out against injustice no matter the cost or inconvenience. Between the Will Smith-led biopic and various
tributes over the years, most Americans know that Ali spoke out against the Vietnam War, converted to the
Nation of Islam and was a global humanitarian. However, there are lots of facts about his life that haven’t been
picked up by the mainstream press.
Here are the top three political facts you didn’t know about Muhammad Ali.
That Time He Was Known as Cassius X
The man we know and mourn as Muhammad Ali was given the name Cassius Clay at birth to honor the whiteabolitionist and anti-slavery activist Cassius Marcellus Clay. While Ali was beaten in the ring and shunned in
public for his politics, Cassius Marcellus Clay was beaten, stabbed and shot several times for his anti-slavery activism.
Demonstrating his newfound conversion to the Nation of Islam and friendship with Malcolm X in February of 1964,
Cassius Clay announced he was revoking his ‘slave’ surname and dubbed himself “Cassius X.”
However his “X” phase lasted about as long as “the artist formerly known as” because within months he was given
a new name that we all know today.
After Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam, Cassius X wanted a new name to demonstrate his deepening commitment
to the faith and his choice to follow the Honorable Elijah Muhammad rather than Malcolm X. In March of 1964 “Cassius
X” became “Muhammad Ali” a name that brought with it scorn from white newspapers, praise from the Muslim world
and confusion on the part of many African Americans. The New York Times as an official policy refused to refer to the
Heavyweight Champion as Muhammad Ali and continued to refer to him as “Cassius Clay” in print until about 1970.
Imagine today if ESPN or even TMZ decided to write “Bruce” instead of “Kaitlyn” Jenner in very headline as an official
company policy. But it was a different time, and Ali’s singular act of blackness in choosing a name of both religious
and African American strength was too much for media to bear back in the ’60s.
He Saved 15 Hostages from Saddam Hussein in 1990
It would be great to imagine Muhammad Ali jumping out of an airplane sneaking into Baghdad and punching SaddamHussein in the face to save some hostages like a Naked Gun sketch, however his actual rescue was no less surprising or
heroic. In the 1980s and ’90s black activists were all the rage when it came to negotiating with ‘dictators’ abroad. Dating
back to Rev. Jesse Jackson’s negotiations with Iran, Middle Eastern leaders loved the idea of thumbing their noses at
America by empowering a representative of oppressed people to accomplish something that the mighty American
government could not do.
In 1990, after Hussein invaded Kuwait, he took 15 very public hostages as a human shield against what he thought
would be an inevitable United States invasion. Against the wishes (and public attacks) of the first Bush administration,
Muhammad Ali flew into Iraq in an attempt to free the hostages. Hussein made Ali wait a week before even meeting with
him, but eventually the leader spoke to the humanitarian boxer and allowed him to bring the 15 hostages home. Not
because Saddam Hussein was such a big boxing fan but because he respected that Ali had spoken out against the
oppression and hypocrisies of the American government in the 1960s. That, and the fact that Muhammad Ali was a
steadfast proud practicing Muslim. The entire negotiations and rescues were a part of a 30 for 30 special on ESPN.
He Knocked Out Trump
While Tom Brady was kissing Donald Trump’s butt and many athletes were ignoring or kissing up to the GOP candidate’sgrotesquely racist antics, Muhammad Ali wasn’t having any of it. In perhaps his last fight and greatest knockout he called
Donald Trump out for being the liar and the racist that he is. Soon after Trump proposed his “ban” on
Muslims coming to America, Ali Came out with a 132-word statement.
Said Ali:
I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino,
or anywhere else in the world. True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so-called
Islamic jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion.
We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda.
They have alienated many from learning about Islam. True Muslims know or should know
that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody.
Speaking as someone who has never been accused of political correctness, I believe
that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about
the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people’s views
on what Islam really is.
or anywhere else in the world. True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so-called
Islamic jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion.
We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda.
They have alienated many from learning about Islam. True Muslims know or should know
that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody.
Speaking as someone who has never been accused of political correctness, I believe
that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about
the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people’s views
on what Islam really is.
Ali proved that even at the end of his life, he could still land a punch. Sometimes better than anybody else in the field.
Jason Johnson, political editor at The Root, is a professor of political science at Hiram College in Ohio and an analyst
for CNN, MSNBC, Al-Jazeera and Fox Business News. Follow him on Twitter.
Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.
SOURCE: http://www.theroot.com/articles/pol...-you-didnt-know-about-muhammad-alis-politics/
.
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