Today is the funeral of a great sportsman and a great personality: Muhammad Ali. I was watching the ceremony on TV when I had the feeling I had to quit. I didn´t quit because I´d refuse to honour the man, but I felt to quit IN ORDER to honour him. I really respect the man who risked damaging his carreer by refusing to join the colonial war of the US in Vietnam. That was a brave deed. The “father” of this bravery was in a way Malcolm X. Due to Malcom´s teachings in frame of the Nation of Islam he also changed his birth name Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. Into Muhammad Ali.
In 1964 Malcolm broke with the Nation of Islam and became a Sunni but also understood the necessity to join with the general black struggle independent from religion. Muhammad refused to join him in this step of quitting the Nation of Islam and even refused to talk to him again, which he lateron bitterly regretted as one of the greatest mistakes in his life. And on the 21st of February 1965 Malcolm was assassinated.
Without the Great Teacher
The dissapearance of the great teacher in his life didn´t hinder Muhammad Ali to be a great sportsman and a great personality also engaging socially in a remarkable way. But it „allowed“ him to do things which are to me in no way admirable. He agreed to let Joseph Mobutu , the dictator of Zaire, the former (and today´s) Congo, and US henchman have his boxing show, dubbed „The Rumble in the Jungle„, what a terrible racist smear! That show was to the advantage of a dictator who was deply involved into the toppling and later murder of the great Patrice Lumumba, one of the great African hopes (http://tinyurl.com/b5jown9).
In fact with his brave personality he did many good things like supporting Palestinian refugees, negotiating successfully on the release of American hostages in Iraq and after acquiring Parkinson’s syndrome he did a lot in that field as well. But he didn´t have the insight to see how the „learning system“ of US Imperialism is occupying brave people who have resisted Imperialism after a while. It pains me for example to see him on a photo joking with Reagan!
It pains me to see him on his website say about Prince Charles and Camilla:
http://muhammadali.com/news/#/muhammad-ali-says-prince-charles-and-camilla-are-the-greatest
Maybe there´s something with the quote of him: „I said I was the greatest, not the smartest!“ (http://espn.go.com/page2/s/neel/011221.html).
What really infuriates me: Occupying the Heroes!
What now really drove me mad and infuriated me was seeing the hall and the US flag and knowing it will be made an „all American event“ claimed by the real rulers of the US. It will be used to nourish the illusion of the „post racial society“ which doesn´t exist. It will be used to cover the murderous plans and concepts of the US Power Elite! Muhammad Ali is worldwide honoured for his resistance to the Vietnam War and in fact the dominant Neocon Power Elite has declared Bio Warfare to the „non-white“ World in September 2000:
This Regime is occupying the heroes who have vigilantly fought against that same regime either after their death or when they get old, tired and half blind! A shame!
So I preferred to switch off and silently think by myself:
Muhammad Ali the Great: RIP!
Andreas Schlüter
My articles on the USA: https://wipokuli.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/list-of-my-articles-on-the-usa/
WiPoKuLi 
You have written a sensitive comment which describes Mohamed Ali in all his conflicting nature. We have not enough people, with your knowledge and feeling. I´m proud to call you a good friend.
Cincerely
Rudolf
Dear Rudolf, you make me reply in English and you make me proud giving lots of encouragement! Herzliche Grüße und ein schönes Wochenende
Dein guter Freund Andreas