"Ali hate"..... what's the point??

[TitoFan]

Who knows how many blacks felt the same way back in the 60's, but obviously didn't have the chance or nerve to express it.

For sure and you can definitely question why a black man would want to go fight for a country that treated him like a second class citizen.

But again I have to ask where was this bravado BEFORE he was made eligible for the draft? Where were these brash opinions when it was other black men going over to Vietnam and getting killed? Did he use his platform to preach this to help out his fellow (black) man when he himself was in the clear? Or did he only become vocal when he dodged the draft and needed to address why he chose to do so?

Ali went against the system before the vietnam war, he changed his name, he joined the nation of Islam that is enough protest against the establishment than you can get.

You're absolutely right, Master. But I'll go one further.

To me it matters not whether he was an activist against the Vietnam war before he was drafted or not. Or whether he used his platform as a way of protesting or not. What matters is that he very clearly pointed out his thoughts about going over to 'Nam to fight for a society that treated him and every black like a 2nd class citizen.

One can never be sure how one would act under similar circumstances, but I'll say this: If I'd been draft eligible in the '60s and been born black..... I'd probably have had the same exact thoughts Ali expressed out loud while others didn't.