re: Muhammed Ali Dead at 74

It's a sad commentary on the state of our country that, with the passing of one of the most iconic sports legends our country has ever produced, some would gleefully flock to a message board to denounce a man most of them had never met, and with such vitriol and ignorance.

First, given the time, no other athlete had ever so boisterously voiced their greatness, and backed it up. He was a dynamic force who was able to back up that self assuredness time and again. To some, that self promoting confidence was a turn off and, to many at the time, that feeds in to the second point.

Ali was NEVER drafted. To paint him as a "draft dodger" is too easy and, frankly asinine, considering the number of "respected" people in politics from both sides who legitimately dodged the draft through various means. Ali took a stand because he felt that if his country could not recognize him as a person, why should he be put in a position to represent his country either through propaganda, which he certainly would have been, or as a fighting man. That was his stance against an injustice of the times that, if you didn't live through it, I don't think you can fully appreciate. By taking that stand, he was stripped of everything and it took a decision of the Supreme Court to have him reinstated as a fighter.

No one can argue that the man created the modern superstar persona. And how many modern superstars would willingly sacrifice everything for a cause they believed in?

Even after his boxing career had passed him by, he continued to contribute to his community and attempt to make a difference in this world.

The man may have had many faults, but this is a huge loss to, not only the sporting world, but to this country. May the man RIP.