Ali wasn't particularly political earlier on. He bragged about his Irish grandparents. When he visited Moscow and they asked him about racism in America, he replied that we have some very good people in Washington and they are doing a good job of dealing with it. Doesn't sound much like the Ali who was buddies with Malcom, does it?

Later, all hints of Irishness disappeared, and he became a black icon in ways that his earlier self coudn't have done.

That said, I was an anti-war hippy and still am. All respect to Ali for his own version of 'hell no we won't go.'


Poste Script: I was disappointed when he KO'd Sonny Liston. I had seen Sonny on Ed Sullivan, where he stood about twice as high as Ed, and he seemed like a nice guy, and Cassius was so brash. But Sonny would never have become the myth that Ali has become. Respect.