How Muhammad Ali secured the release of 15 US hostages in Iraq

[stuff jones]

Which athletes today have cost themselves big money for a cause?

[soul_survivor]

The greatest societal loss of Ali having Parkinson is that we lost the opportunity to have this man's voice in the political discourse as he aged. I believe he would have been an incredibly positive influence on society today.

Too bad athletes today separate themselves so insistently from societal issues. Athletes are the most idolized people in America and they could do so much good if they were involved.

Agreed. They are worried it will earn their earning potential which it does. Look at Ali being bankrupt by the time 1970 rolled around.

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#notonOUrcampus pic.twitter.com/ipMwJbvHKF

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) March 9, 2015

Stay very woke my brother

This is all well and good but none of these athletes have the reach of Ali or say these things when it matters and most importantly, they do not act upon it. In fact, most of these statements ring hollow because they are there to garner attention, not change.

Ali provided change.

Saddam knew who the A side was when he met The Champ.

Damn straight lol

[soul_survivor]

Which athletes today have cost themselves big money for a cause?

Let me see....that's a big fat ZERO

[kafkod]

The greatest societal loss of Ali having Parkinson is that we lost the opportunity to have this man's voice in the political discourse as he aged. I believe he would have been an incredibly positive influence on society today.

Too bad athletes today separate themselves so insistently from societal issues. Athletes are the most idolized people in America and they could do so much good if they were involved.

That's a good point. In his youth Ali made some hugely positive contributions to political and social discourse, and others that were on the Tyson Fury level of naivity, but that's the headstrong foolishness of youth for you.

As an older man, there was wisdom and compassion in everything he said and did. If he'd been able to express those qualities with the eloquence and energy of his youth, he could have done a lot of good in the world.

[Motorcity Cobra]

Agreed. They are worried it will earn their earning potential which it does. Look at Ali being bankrupt by the time 1970 rolled around.



This is all well and good but none of these athletes have the reach of Ali or say these things when it matters and most importantly, they do not act upon it. In fact, most of these statements ring hollow because they are there to garner attention, not change.

Ali provided change.



Damn straight lol

Pay attention to the reaction the media had to their stance instead of criticizing their stances.

[Motorcity Cobra]

In his day Ali was more hated than Floyd. The media was ruthless towards him. there has been a lot of revisionist history when it comes to Ali and his image was made over in the '80's.

[Eff Pandas]

Ali sat patiently while Saddam praised himself for treating the hostages so well. Once he sensed an opening, Ali promised Saddam that he’d bring America “an honest account” of Iraq.

“I’m not going to let Muhammad Ali return to the US,” Saddam replied, “without having a number of the American citizens accompanying him.”

Ali f#cking Rope A Doped Saddam LOL.

Its a shame he wasn't healthier in his later years. Imagine the impact he coulda had.

[hectari]

Ali the peoples champ.

This man was so lovable, I seen when he would go to other countries, like the Philippines and his presence he could mingle with anyone of any race, the kids loved him everywhere he went, they knew he was a good man.

If he never had parkinsons he would have done so much more like this.

[-Antonio-]

In his day Ali was more hated than Floyd. The media was ruthless towards him. there has been a lot of revisionist history when it comes to Ali and his image was made over in the '80's.

This is true. You have to think about why he was hated though. On the surface the phrase, "draft dodger" is as bad as they come. A lot of people thought he was a coward.

The truth is he would never have had to truly fight in the war because of his celebrity. They would have kept him safe and used him to promote the war. So what he did by risking jail was worse for him. He stood up for a cause. He was the voice of millions of people who felt the same way.

In retrospect he was legend for what he did. I think most people realize that now.

My only beef with Ali was his treatment of Fraizer. He was brutal in his words to Joe. It wasn't right.

[Motorcity Cobra]

My only beef with Ali was his treatment of Fraizer. He was brutal in his words to Joe. It wasn't right.

Yep. That's my only real complaint about him. And Fraizer took that pain to his grave