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Ya, ya you know where this is going. Let the flaming begin …
Muhammad Ali? Really? That’s the guy we want to associate with King? Or with anything remotely 99% for that matter?
Ya, he didn’t want to go kill people in Vietnam (FDL #1, #2):
I ain’t got no quarrel with the Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me Nigger
No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder, kill, and burn other people to simply help continue the domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over. This is the day and age when such evil injustice must come to an end
Well I applaud the sentiment. And for the other wars … crickets. Korea? Iraq? Afghanistan? … [insert useless American war here]? So what happened to this champion of peace and anti-war persona? Was he really against wars, or was he against him fighting in a war? Him killing people? Or him being killed? But it’s OK for others to do it under an American flag? So how many others have decided they don’t want to kill, but others killing … well not that important? I mean is this really all anyone needs to do to get applause? Because in that case ask any richer person if they want to go to war, or if they want their children to go to war. You’re only going to need 1 guess, but I’ll give you two.
You folks do know he’s a 1%er, right? Just like Jobs. His net worth is … well different sources say 80 million, or 55 million. So he’s a 1%er by a wide margin. And what has he done with all his loot? Has he made an effort to fight the PTB or even help out African American unemployment (what is it now 50% in some areas)?
These numbers, first 2007 then 2009-2010, by the Economic Policy Institute show really high numbers for African Americans. And what has Ali done about it? Has he even tried to do anything?
How about when he didn’t have Parkinson’s? How about then? When he was fit and healthy, and rich?
Jobs was a slave-wager. He was CEO of Apple. And did nothing about it. He did nothing about it. And Apple is currently hording 81.5 billion, 66% overseas to avoid paying US taxes. But what about Ali? He’s not hording cash overseas. But seriously, what has he done for the 99%? And should he do anything for that matter? Most people don’t. So he’s … normal. Average. He does what most 1%ers do, … buy stuff for themselves, and mostly nothing beyond token gestures for the 99%.
So why the applause? Why the glorification? Or is this just the way it is … glorification because … he was a great boxer? Is this all we’ve become? A nation that glorifies and fawns over the wealthy? Who cares what they’ve done, they’re rich, and we must … glorify and applaud them? And why do I care if he’s black, … white, or fuchsia for that matter. He’s a 1%er. And I can see clearly who’s side he’s on. Not on ours.
Can we please stop glorifying the 1%? I mean this is getting ridiculous. Why not glorify all the other 1%ers who do nothing for us as well? Why not glorify Paris Hilton, or the Kardishans, or the Lohans? They also do nothing for the 99. But they don’t do anything against us either. They too would say no to going to war. Ask them, see what they say (do you really need to?). So if we’re glorifying all the 1% who are living in the lap of 10 luxuries, while the 99%, twitch away our lives like a fish on land, then I say we glorify Paris Hilton. Why not, she’s hotter. Just saying.
29 Comments
Please, please can the first comment be about how I hate rich people. Because that would really make my case and my day.
First comment’s already been taken.
Second is, “What does this have to do with anything?”
Tam, i think you jumped the tracks with this poorly thought out screed.
Please don’t compare Ali to that Capitalist vulture Jobs, Ali didn’t make his money from the labor of young sweatshop workers in China, he earned it and paid a huge physical toll for that wealth. He may not speak out about todays problems mainly because he can’t but his charity work is admirable.
I try not to hate anyone since it is a negative emotion but i reserve the right to despise and condemn Capitalist parasites.
In The Fight (the Foreman-Ali fight in Zaire), Norman Mailer tells about how, when Ali would be at a training camp throughout his career, his guys would buy a few dozen jockstraps, soak them long in a solution of onions and garlic, and take them to local leather shops, selling them as Ali’s used gear.
Ali was a only boxer, an uneducated man, but he was real and authentic in country plagued with phonies. He was a poet, full of grace, brave and honest… in and out of the ring. He was one of the most beautiful presences of a wonderful, world-changing era.
Have some respect for your betters!
I take my hat off to you for challenging us regarding Ali’s accumulated wealth.
I put it back on for your inability to put his career into some sort of meaningful, overarching context.
From Ali’s website:
Ali, sacrificed his body like so many young poor boys do today, hoping that he would be the one percent that might make it. He risked his life with boxing in the hope of getting out of the lower 5 percent of the nation. Pick on any white corporate guy you want to, but leave the ones who sacrificed mind and body to please the men in suits, alone.
Geesh! That said, he’s spent the last 20 years at least struggling with Parkinson’s…
People don’t get it…white privilege exists and when one black man makes it to the top…it doesn’t undo.. white privilege. Because of white privilege Ali’s options were few!
Why would you publicly smear a man you know nothing about? Get help.
Yes, his charity work is admirable.
I give great props for it.
http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/208-muhammad-ali
“UN Messenger of Peace
Ali has helped serve 232 million meals worldwide. He has hand-delivered food and medical supplies to children in Asia, Africa and through North, South and Central Americas.
Ali is an official games spokesman for the Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai, China.”
Although the 232 million meals number is total bullshite.
But he’s still a 1%er. And that was the context I compared him to Jobs.
And my question is still why he didn’t speak before he had physical problems? Why not before the Vietnam war? Why not after? Why only when it was his time to serve?
All I see is another 1%er doing token work to make himself feel better. Is this what MLK wanted?
So his parasites are Aholes.
Wow, now he’s my “better”.
So sorry massa, hope I didn’t insult my “betters”.
Not sure where you’re going with the second sentence. Intention? Implication?
I agree, he’s a good guy.
But what about all the other shite?
He sacrificed his mind and body to be one of the 1%.
Hope he’s happy, cause he got it.
I’m talking about issues that I think should be brought up.
He’s a 1%er.
So was Jobs.
So spare me the sanctimony.
I’m still asking why we glorify him. If I’m so wrong, and it’s so easy to answer that, than write me off as a nutjob and ignore.
He’s still a 1%er.
I don’t write any one off as a “nut job”. I don’t like to refer to any one in this way. Nor do I in a generalized way believe that all of the wealthy people in the world are evil. I would prefer to use facts about people’s behavior rather than generalize by their income as to how they behave in the world.
Ali…didn’t sit behind a desk betting on a stock market. He sacrificed to get his wealth. He didn’t inherit it. Just as I do not believe that lottery winners are really 1 percenters…I don’t believe Ali is either. He was NOT a member of the priviledged class…that is reserved for white men. He had very few avenues to a decent life…and he hit the jack pot. He made sacrifices to get there and he fought the status quo. Pick on a white male corporate ceo that has benefited from corporate welfare, or a member of the aristocracy.
I registered for the draft in ’67 and almost joined the military. After hearing MLK and Ali make their stand against that Imperialist War i grew to understand what was really going down. Ali knew that he would never see combat but would be used to promote an unjust, racist war and he made a moral choice that cost him dearly.
I will always be grateful to these two great men for showing a young white boy from Detroit what human character is is really about. Neither of them are or were perfect but they are the best examples we have in these dark days.
I understand why people like Tam react the way they do but it is still reactionary and that is as dangerous and counterproductive as the rich blaming the poor for their problems.
Everyone needs some wealth and security and the wealthy should be judged by how the gained that wealth and how they use it. We are going to need honest, productive wealthy people to help rebuild this deteriorating world.
Peace, Love and Revolution
You miss my point.
He is a 1%er.
If you disagree, then so be it.
We can agree to disagree.
And why would I care if he’s a white CEO or a black 1%er? Irrelevant. Same with O. SO what if he’s black. Got nothing to do with it.
Well, it should be noted that he not only tossed up a few quotables about the war (like today’s bloggers) he also refused to be drafted, accepted being stripped of his ability to make a living, spent two years lecturing on campuses about civil rights and against the war … and ultimately ended up at the supreme court to get his rights back (rather unlike most of today’s bloggers).
But in the contemporary, Muhammad Ali is an awesome person. He treats everyone he encounters with respect. While technically from Kentucky, he’s contributed substantially to the Las Vegas community for years. I don’t think there is anyone in that city who doesn’t appreciate what he’s done for the community.
He has also suffered for years from a disease that makes it very very difficult for him to communicate effectively – or even be in public … a disease that tends to impact people who’ve experienced head trauma (incidentally, risking head trauma to put on a show for monied sports fans and boxing promoters is how Ali earned those millions we’re supposed to begrudge him for some reason). Yet he still works it and makes things happen.
Even with Parkenson’s, had you bothered to do a simple Wikipedia check, you’d find that …
That is 22 million (with a “M”) hungry mouths fed by the man. Did you even bother to check into his life before talking a ration of shit about him? Clearly not.
Sorry he didn’t take up and win every political cause on your list for you. But during the time he was busy not being your political lackey … he managed to benefit communities in which I’ve lived directly and in concrete ways – which is more than I can say for most human beings in America (including most internet blog warriors).
IMO, you look pretty ignorant on this one. Namaste.
All of the 1% are rich but not all rich people are part of the 1%. Go to your nearest OCCUPY and check it out. Ask around – Is Mohammad Ali part of the 1%? You will find out you are wrong. No need to apologize. Everybody makes mistakes.
Well said.
Agreeing with Dru.
tambershall, I know you like to throw a firecracker…..at least you don’t run. this screed is beneath you. if you want to raise some fire, why don’t you do some research on the leading R candidates who continue to lie in their ‘debates’ and do a righteous rant? i’m just an old white woman, but i don’t think this diary entry is worthy of FDL.
Indeed, tambershall -
“Muhammad Ali, .. really?”
Ponder your headline. And your use of your energies.
Tambershall your point is well taken, but so was Jesus’ when he spoke of the rich man passing through the eye of a needle.
A hypothetical to you:
Had you by fate somehow amassed the wealth of an Ali or Jobs, how would you have dispersed it to meet the approval of the 99% or even one ‘tambershall’?
Very valid points.
He’s a good guy.
But he’s no MLK. And should not be associated with him, IMO.
He’s still a 1%er.
He has “helped” to provide 22 million meals? Well I applaud that.
Valid points that certainly contest my assertions quite clearly.
He’s still a 1%er.
Hunger and poverty relief? Seriously?
People like him have much more power and resources at their disposal. And this is also what he does now. How about before?
Either way, I applaud your valid points and assertions. Well said.
Because I don’t like MLK and Ali ever associated together.
They are not the same.
They’re not even in the same ballpark.
A notable question that deserves a notable answer.
I’m always astonished at the number of people who alleviate the symptoms and not the cause/source.
Those with significant resources and power have a lot more leverage than you might think. A lot more.
If I was Ali, or Micheal Moore, or … I would get together like minds and strategically address the source of the problem. Too many 1%ers on the sidelines. They don’t do anything to harm. And they do nothing to help us either. How does that quote go? … All it takes for evil men to succeed is good men to do nothing. The thing I never got is how “good” are these men that see such travesty and evil, and do nothing.
And yes this is possible. All of the issues we talk about on a daily basis would be viable if certain groups pushed for it. Once established, it is very hard to take away. And of course education. Education, education, education! The silver bullet? The magical panacea?
Why would anyone give millions to these “charities” (read up on charities and see how much of a scam they are), when they should get together and start one themselves?
Education.
Single payer.
No money in politics.
These issues can be addressed by power and money.
Lastly, these folks don’t do it because they’re stupid or don’t know. They don’t do it because they don’t care enough.