“One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting”. This quote is from “The Journey” by Mary Oliver. We all go through this at least once in a lifetime; a time we know we have to do something, although everyone disagrees with us. On March 9, 1966, the boxer Muhammad Ali known as one of the greatest athletes in the twentieth century, was eligible to fight in the vietnam war. Muhammad stood up for his beliefs and thus was willing to accept the consequences.
What caused him to take such a strong stand and willing to suffer with five years worth of prison, a $10,00 fine, and three years without boxing? Muhammad explained, “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home …show more content…
For instance, David Susskind, a television host, said when talking about Ali’s refusal: “ I find nothing amusing or interesting or tolerable about this man. He’s a disgrace to his country, his race, and what he laughingly describes as his profession. He is a convicted felon in the United States. He has been found guilty. He is out on bail. He will inevitably go to prison, as well he should. He is a simplistic fool and a pawn.” This shows that people perceived Muhammad negatively after his refusal. Although in the end he did not go to jail, he was still stripped of his heavyweight title, fined $10,000, and banned from boxing for three years.
Mary Oliver’s “The Journey” ends by saying “you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you can do --- determined to save the only life you can save.” Ali was determined to stand up and save the lives of people society had deemed disposable- civilians in Vietnam, and African Americans in America. He believed that he had the right to stand for his beliefs, and was prepared to experience the consequences of his decision. Fighting for what you believe in, even if that means suffering the consequences, may be worth it in the long
What caused him to take such a strong stand and willing to suffer with five years worth of prison, a $10,00 fine, and three years without boxing? Muhammad explained, “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home …show more content…
For instance, David Susskind, a television host, said when talking about Ali’s refusal: “ I find nothing amusing or interesting or tolerable about this man. He’s a disgrace to his country, his race, and what he laughingly describes as his profession. He is a convicted felon in the United States. He has been found guilty. He is out on bail. He will inevitably go to prison, as well he should. He is a simplistic fool and a pawn.” This shows that people perceived Muhammad negatively after his refusal. Although in the end he did not go to jail, he was still stripped of his heavyweight title, fined $10,000, and banned from boxing for three years.
Mary Oliver’s “The Journey” ends by saying “you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you can do --- determined to save the only life you can save.” Ali was determined to stand up and save the lives of people society had deemed disposable- civilians in Vietnam, and African Americans in America. He believed that he had the right to stand for his beliefs, and was prepared to experience the consequences of his decision. Fighting for what you believe in, even if that means suffering the consequences, may be worth it in the long