Who was a better role model for Black people? Louis or Ali

[Southpaw Stinger]

Hitler had the balls to speak his mind..... I don't think that alone constitutes a better role model.

And also, too many folks went along with him obediently without question.

A German Louis going along with the German system would be just as bad in that case.

[mrjoeblive]

I voted for joe louis but then again I'm a white person

LOL its cool brother.

[mrjoeblive]

Louis is a better role model for people of any race.

Ali did become a better role model as he got older though. He apologized for a lot of the statements he made and realized he was just a young angry black kid who hated the world at the time.

IMO a role model is for each person to decide for ones self. if your trying to be a low key good citizen then the brown bomber from Detroit is your man. If your tired of being pushed around by a corrupt system then perhaps Ali is your man. for me personally i think a bit of both men is a very good thing. in some situations you might want to be Ali and in others Louis. but to each his own.

[mrjoeblive]

And also, too many folks went along with him obediently without question.

A German Louis going along with the German system would be just as bad in that case.

true. it still bothers me how the IRS ran over Louis. he tried to do his part as a USA citizen and they broke his back financially. he deserves a lot more credit than he got. a lot more.

[Slip Stream]

Speaking as an African American, for me it’s Ali without question, with an afterthought: “How could it be anyone else?”

I think one of the simple reasons is timing. Joe Louis was from an era where “blacks” were more compliant and did more outwardly to be acceptable. I don’t hold this against Joe, because many blacks did comply with societal norms with their heads held high. My mother grew up in the era of segregation, during a time in America’s history where open discrimination was practiced. In many ways she was compliant as well, in that her way of expressing herself was muted. There is a majestic woman behind all of that “I must fit in” attitude, its just buried kinda deep now. She’s old and the times have changed, so in many ways both real and figurative she is the past. So too is Louis, but his greatness endures because there’s something to be said about honorably serving your country.

Ali spoke his mind, he was bubbling over with confidence and charisma, he projected a man that I have always wanted to be. While Louis, perhaps the single greatest heavyweight to ever lace up a pair of gloves, was a more sedate force. Louis was an all American man, and I think the picture of black compliance. Ali stood by his convictions, even to his ultimate detriment, he took a stand, granted it was an unpopular one but he held firm. And the fact that he did makes him my personal hero and mentor.

Ali could not be broken in my mind, and though he suffers from the effects of his career his poise still teaches me.

"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."

~Muhammad Ali~

[mrjoeblive]

Joe Louis is a good role model for anyone. Muhammad Ali, while great, is not.

i think it depends on which side of the fence your on. Ali was a good model for future leaders as he fought against a very corrupt and racist system. he carried the hopes of a down trodden nation on his back. thats why i dont get so mad at pac fans. they look at him as a national hero. on the scene i will go toe to toe with any one. but to all my pinoy friends, i let them slide with manny praise. its like blacks and the williams sisters, whites and emeniem(even though he is really black) and blacks and willie t Ribbs who carried the hopes of blacks possibly cracking open nas car races. the list goes on and on.

[mrjoeblive]

Speaking as an African American, for me it’s Ali without question, with an afterthought: “How could it be anyone else?”

I think one of the simple reasons is timing. Joe Louis was from an era where “blacks” were more compliant and did more outwardly to be acceptable. I don’t hold this against Joe, because many blacks did comply with societal norms with their heads held high. My mother grew up in the era of segregation, during a time in America’s history where open discrimination was practiced. In many ways she was compliant as well, in that her way of expressing herself was muted. There is a majestic woman behind all of that “I must fit in” attitude, its just buried kinda deep now. She’s old and the times have changed, so in many ways both real and figurative she is the past. So too is Louis, but his greatness endures because there’s something to be said about honorably serving your country.

Ali spoke his mind, he was bubbling over with confidence and charisma, he projected a man that I have always wanted to be. While Louis, perhaps the single greatest heavyweight to ever lace up a pair of gloves, was a more sedate force. Louis was an all American man, and I think the picture of black compliance. Ali stood by his convictions, even to his ultimate detriment, he took a stand, granted it was an unpopular one but he held firm. And the fact that he did makes him my personal hero and mentor.

Ali could not be broken in my mind, and though he suffers from the effects of his career his poise still teaches me.

"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."

~Muhammad Ali~

wow man!!!! dam good post you summed your view up very well. than you.

[Slip Stream]

wow man!!!! dam good post you summed your view up very well. than you.

Thanks alot yo.

[lightsout_finit]

Hitler had the balls to speak his mind..... I don't think that alone constitutes a better role model.


I voted for Louis

comparing Ali to Hitler shows which way someone like you would vote.....

What I meant was if Ali was ****ed in the ass the way Louis was by the goverment he wouldn't have just took it like a little b*tch to be patriotic.
Would he??

You realise The whole thing with Louis being humble was pre planned at the start of his career as a way to avoid another Jack Johnson situation?
The guy went out of his way to seem more white to be accepted by his nation. To me that's no role model at all, that's called a puppet.

Before you call me a Louis hater or whatever casual fans like you say as a comeback, you should check my previous posts and you'll see i rate the Brown Bomber very highly as a fighter, infact i think he could beat any HW that ever lived other than Ali.....

You should prob learn something before you comment in history section this ain't nsb kid..........

I think governments around the world would rather have nations full Louis clones rather than Ali clones. Not saying that's a good thing.

Exactly......

[lightsout_finit]

And also, too many folks went along with him obediently without question.

A German Louis going along with the German system would be just as bad in that case.

Excellent post I still don't get why this kid compared Ali to Hitler....
Frankly i find it disturbing

Speaking as an African American, for me it’s Ali without question, with an afterthought: “How could it be anyone else?”

I think one of the simple reasons is timing. Joe Louis was from an era where “blacks” were more compliant and did more outwardly to be acceptable. I don’t hold this against Joe, because many blacks did comply with societal norms with their heads held high. My mother grew up in the era of segregation, during a time in America’s history where open discrimination was practiced. In many ways she was compliant as well, in that her way of expressing herself was muted. There is a majestic woman behind all of that “I must fit in” attitude, its just buried kinda deep now. She’s old and the times have changed, so in many ways both real and figurative she is the past. So too is Louis, but his greatness endures because there’s something to be said about honorably serving your country.

Ali spoke his mind, he was bubbling over with confidence and charisma, he projected a man that I have always wanted to be. While Louis, perhaps the single greatest heavyweight to ever lace up a pair of gloves, was a more sedate force. Louis was an all American man, and I think the picture of black compliance. Ali stood by his convictions, even to his ultimate detriment, he took a stand, granted it was an unpopular one but he held firm. And the fact that he did makes him my personal hero and mentor.

Ali could not be broken in my mind, and though he suffers from the effects of his career his poise still teaches me.

"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."

~Muhammad Ali~

Great post.......
When I was a kid at school we were told the story of Ali throwin away his gold medal......
I'm sure you know the story......
And from that point on I thought Ali was the bees knees.


If Ali was around in Louis time when black folks were more "compliant" as you put it, I think Ali would still have been Ali......