Quote Originally Posted by Howlin Mad Missy View Post
Quote Originally Posted by deadlypete View Post
its funny because ali in his time at top was not very well liked at all but to really understand the racisim etc u have to place yurself in that period of time when he was coming up and became champion(martin luther kings time malcom x black marches for equality etc)when we look back in time now and c his interviews and comments and antics sure he comes across as a bit of a self centered clown but those were the times back then and too the white heirachy he was a mouthy black who didnt know his place(polishing the white mans superior shoes)and was a great inspirational hero to the black man....especially in that vietnam war era(no viet cong ever called me a nigga haha)he was a symbol of strength intelligence confidence(very cocky)wittyness and articulate for the black people when they needed all that.....long live the self proclaimed greatest
ps he did apologise eventually to fraizer but alwaysaid wat he did was in jest, the reason joe took it so personally was because joe trully liked ali and regarded him as a friend and felt alis antics was not necessary and too over the top

So that's ok then. I think he went a bit mental when the X brotha's got hold of him.
Ali paved the way for trash talking.
Was it ok for him to say white folks were snakes? Gee ok not all of them but why would he risk getting bit? That's fine, then we're all ok with stating there are black folks and there are niggas?
Ali went way too far with Frazier, and was certainly a hypocrite through his womanising.

However people's ideas and opinions are shaped throughout adulthood as well, and I don't believe he should just be brandished a bad person as things are rarely black and white. Deadlypete makes a great point about how blacks were still treated like shit at the time he joined the controversial nation of islam, so I think he has some justification for that action, especially as he has since recognised the errors in Elijah Muhammads treachings.

Like he said in his best quote 'A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.'