re: Muhammed Ali... American Hero?

#1. Sports figures cannot be heros based on some natural skills alone.
#2. He grew up during a dark era for the black man. This would effect his life decisions.
#3. He became a part of the movement that ultimately gave that black man the same rights as everyone else. I'll allow that he could be hailed a hero for that.
#4. He dodged the draft claiming religious reasons. The fact is he was influenced by Elijah Muhammad. Elijah was a conscientious objector to WWII. Elijah wrote ""When the call [to register for the draft] was made for all males between 18 and 44, I refused (NOT EVADED) on the grounds that, first, I was a Muslim and would not take part in war and especially not on the side with the infidels.” In fact, Elijah Muhammad encouraged blacks to support the Japanese against the U.S. He also established NOI's paramilitary wing, the Fruit of Islam (FOI),...". This influence caused him hate for America. He refused the draft for this reason, not religious reasons. ... Perhaps some haters of America may find this to place him as some sort of hero. Not me! Of note is he never used anything concerning the actual war in Vietnam. He was not standing up to the gov't due to some deep understanding of the war as some might suggest. I found indications that he knew nothing about that war at that time.

Therefore while he may be a hero to some I find him to be an unapologetic hater of America due to refusing the draft based on fake religious reasons ... that is unless you regard hating America as a religion. ... but then I am a bit biased as I was drafted less than 2 years later. I heeded the call as did so many others, black and white, even though I did not agree with the way the war was being fought. Now while I am certainly no hero he sure da fuk ain't either.

One thing Clay probably did not know is that we were all treated as equals in the Army. 1969 and everyone was separated only by rank.