fahim mohammed
Well-known member
The ' greatest ' is dead. A man of his generation and a man for all generations to come.
May Allah rest his soul in peace.
May Allah rest his soul in peace.
The ' greatest ' is dead. A man of his generation and a man for all generations to come.
May Allah rest his soul in peace.
" I am America. I am the part you won't recognize. But get used to me- black, confident, cocky; my name not yours; my religion not yours; my goals, my own. Get used to me. " Mohammed Ali.
<snip>
And so it goes. All across the world. From world leaders to ordinary people, have expressed their sadness at the passing of this great American icon.
But what about here at OPF? The silence here is so loud that it speaks volumes to me. Why? Is it because he was an American, or that he was black or is it because he was a Muslim?
But what about here at OPF? The silence here is so loud that it speaks volumes to me.
Hi Stuart.
There is a MLK day. There is a Veterans Day. There is a statue of Churchill, of Elvis, of Nelson Mandela.
Is it because we forget them? Is it to remind us that Elvis was a person?
Does the US have a Memorial Day Lest Americans forget?
Your point is well taken.
So should be mine.
Best regards.
In general, Fahim, statues are made to honor public figures are to worship them as in Mary or Jesus on the cross. Hopefully, they remind folk of the best of the myriad of values these selected "heroes" in our cultures have.
To the extent that they inspire a new generation to apply wisdom and consideration and steadfastness to their lives and treatment of others then, these edifices are justified. As measures of superiority and domination, they have negative sides too.
Christopher Columbus "discovered" America, like Daesh, (ISIS) "discovered" swathes of Sinai, Libya, Iraq and Syria. There are two sides to edifies of our heroes. When we are the victors, we just want to be romantic and ignore the negative. The conquistadors stole the wealth, massacred the men, (in some areas of their conquered territory, villages have no native male DNA), and force concubined the women! Where's the difference difference between Medieval Spain and today's ISIS?
I will just praise and hold in awe the power Mohammed Ali gave to Blacks and deprived peoples all over the world. It says everyone of us has a spirt to be harnessed for one's people's self worth if one is willing to focus and fight for what is an inalienable right. That is how I view him on the whole.
.......and he rescued a suicidal man from a balcony of a building and saved his life. That was very selfless and heroic and gives him a pass for anything negative he might have inflicted on others.
Asher
Ali who?
Oh, the boxer.
Such a fascinating obsession with a bloke who pounded his fist into othe people's faces for a living.
I'm not suggesting it defines the man but it goes a long way to influencing my opinion of him.
I'd prefer to see the accolades put upon someone with a bit more of an impact on human endeavour.
I know doctors, lawyers, teachers, parents and charity workers who have done more and receive less.
I'm sure those who were close to him will miss his.
For the rest of us it's probably not a good idea to worship idols, or elevate humans to a godly status, least wise we loose sight of our own significance.
Xx
I agree with all you say. The boxing part is a path that, to the black community and much of the European "sports-loving" community, seems a reasonable path to riches and fame. It has not yet penetrated the psyche that battering another fellow's brains out is what guerillas do to win dominance in the tribe. (Biting off the testicles and ears is another trick of the wild that helps exsanguinite the previous champion, so deposed!).
<snip>
However, it is really bipassing critical reasoning as deification is an ancient, but sadly a primitive phenomenon of humanity that we could do well to grow out of!
Guerillia(s)? I see what you did here.... The boxing part is a path that, to the black community and much of the European "sports-loving" community, seems a reasonable route to riches and fame. It has not yet penetrated the psyche that battering another fellow's brains out is what guerillas do to win dominance in the tribe. (Biting off the testicles and ears is another trick of the wild that helps exsanguinite the previous champion, so deposed!).
Guerillia(s)? I see what you did here.
SCNR
I agree on quite a few things he did, but as far as I remember he refused to be endorsed by organizations etc.
Public mourning can make use of the publicity of the mourned for own goals - the one mourned cannot respond.
This is why I keep my thoughts for myself - as a sign of respect.
Michael