Not Just Jane Fonda

[WateringHole]

Mohammed Ali stirred enough turmoil during the late 60s when he refused to get drafted.Even though he made his living by fighting, he wouldn't fight for his Country. Like Fonda, he traveled around the Country, making speeches at colleges on his negative views about the Vietnam War.
During his boxing career, he was well known for degrading his opponents with inflammatory language, for example: calling Sonny Liston "a big ugly bear", calling Joe Frazier "a Gorilla".

If his intentions was "only" refusing to fight in a war he didn't approve of, than why he didn't have a press conference to make such a statement "I would like to make my position on the Vietnam War known to all US Military Personells, present and past I don't have any beef with any of you for serving your Country. My feelings are very deep and I'm not going to fight in a war I don't believe in."

In other words, what Ali did was "throw away the baby with the bath water".

[BLUEHAWK]

In addition, his anti-war stance coincided with his conversion to being a specifically Black Muslim - not merely to Islam.

Those of us old enough to remember what went on with him at the time would agree that he belongs in the Jane Fonda echelon.

More than anyone else in a similar celebrity position, I believe, Cassius Clay was responsible for inflaming Leftist rhetoric that the Vietnam war was being fought as a way to "exterminate" blacks and minorities. He did his full part in setting the stage for a lot of racial violence and divisions that exist to this day.

Because he was the heavyweight boxing champ, he got almost a total pass from the anglo and sports press... to this day.

[BLUEHAWK]

[reconeil]

In fairness to Mr. Ali or previous known as Mr. Cassius Clay, at least he didn't do his anti-America & pro U.S. Enemies BS NONSENSE overseas,...like: "Hanoi Jane Fonda" (in Vietnam) & "Slick Willy" (re: ex-Prez Bill Clinton in USSR) both did.

However, and maybe if Ali similarly did such despicably treasonable acts abroad, he too might have faired just as well as those two wacked-out politicos alluded to both did?
Both are STILL actually adored by many naive Americans. Go figure?

Whatever, Blue. You-jus-gotsta-see the weird: "Only In America" absurdity of it all.

After posing happily with North Vietnamese Enemy on some Triple-A that supposedly took down an American B-52 Bomber, she makes even more & more million$ in Hollywood & is also received adoringly by all Democrat/Progressive Presidents,...instead of just being HANGED for TREASON.

After young Rhodes Scholar Bill Clinton protested against U.S. Military and thus aided and gave comfort to America's enemies overseas in USSR, he wins himself the brass ring of Commander-In-Chief of that very same: "Despised" military,...instead of being initially EXECUTED for TREASON.

Yes. Crime does pay in America...for Most rich or wealthy: "Political Fat Cats".
Tough Luck, Mr. Ali. Foolish protesting usually gets fighters zilch.

Neil

[WateringHole]

reconeil:

Even though Ali didn't go to Hanoi, he sure did his part of degrading everyone and everything in his Country that allowed him the freedom to speak against the establishment with vulgar and inflammatory spewing.

Many Ali haters got their revenge when he got into the ring with Larry Holmes. Ali couldn't get off his stool when the bell rung for the sixth round. He only disgrace himself and proved to everybody he was only a "washed-up has been", suffering from Pugilistic(punch drunk) and nothing else to offer boxing fans.

[reconeil]

Can't disagree with anything you wrote.
Still, it is well known that too many shots to heads screws-up many brains.

Thus and in such a realistic context, both: "Hanoi Jane" Fonda & "Slick Willy" Clinton have
NO EXCUSE whatsoever for being So-Damn-Stupidly TREASONABLE U.S. INGRATES.

Regardless, being: "(punch drunk)" or having Parkinson's Disease is no excuse for TREASON
either,...since both or either (?) surfaced their ugly heads to Ali during much later years.

Neil

[WateringHole]

Ali was showing signs of speech problems a number of years before his fight with Holmes. He was having trouble pronouncing his words. But many boxing fans and sports reporters thought that was just another trick Ali thought of to phych his opponents.
Ali was addicted to being the center of attention, and he just couldn't turn loose like so many other fight champs did when they knew it was time to hang-up the gloves.
Saw a clip of him on ESPN the other night where he was receiving a plaque from one of those "goody two shoe" non profits. He was confined to a wheel chair.