The faded butterfly

Submitted by Mary Kay Smedstad (United States), Dec 1, 2005 at 11:46

Your comments are entirely appropriate. As a teen-ager, and prior, I was admiring of the handsome young champion but put off by his brashness. When he turned his back on the country for what I perceived to be pure greed and selfishness in contrast to Elvis Presley's actions, Cassius Clay was forever tarnished in my eyes. It only got worse as he stood by the Black Muslim's as they advocated violence while avowing his 'peaceful' religion.

Howard Cosell and the media were responsible for restoring him to glory, in the same way that Angela Davis and so many others escaped the vilification due them. The only possible reasons for President Bush awarding this honor to Ali is a forgetfulness of his earlier years, his admiration of a champion, or the desire to honor a Muslim as a political consideration, but none are excusable!

I am one of the President's most ardent supporters in everything he has accomplished, but this was his day of infamy.

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