A Conversation With Muhammad Ali

Quite an athlete across from me. He used to be named cashless Marcellus Clay Jr. and his business was price fighting as a fighter he became in my opinion and certainly in his own the greatest. At the age of 25 now he calls himself Mohammed al e and he's unemployed as a fighter. His title is gone ripped away by various boxing commissions in the name of patriotism. He's been sentenced to five years in prison for refusing induction into the United States Army. Eight years ago he stood on a podium in Rome an American flag blowing in the breeze the Star-Spangled Banner being played he was given a gold medal as an Olympic champion. People thought here's a kid with a bright future and he was known as the so-called credit to his race. He had talent in the ring and he had maybe more talent outside of it. He loved Ballyhoo. He loved putting on the nation with a great put on that he was the greatest He maybe was the greatest poet since Robert Frost at least he had more of his poetry published saying Archie Moore must go in for things like that. But then the day after he became champion he turned off a lot of the country by revealing that

he was a convert. To a religious sect known popularly as the Black Muslims and formerly as the Nation of Islam and that in tag and I see a lot of the American people. So now his principal role is as a Muslim minister. He's had a varied career and exciting bizarre celebrated career and now perhaps a discouraging career or is it discouraging right now with this five year sentence. It will get more out of it than box and boxing was on full sail just beaten up one of my brothers somebody else's brother for money possibly for life which I didn't look ever really low. I was getting more pleasure out of lecturing. Us from asking for so called a closed Europe minister of the Muslim faith. Yes I don't really like the Mormon preachers.

His teachers taught American people and I enjoy this much better than barks and I did and I was still the boxer I chose this over boxing. What about JR that you're appealing is that correct. Oh yes. JR Let could come up and if I should do so people then I'll have to go to jail in a few years. Have you thought about what it might mean if you talk about people who've been in jail for five years. We'll talk about the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Black people actually been in jail for 400 years we've been in America. But I don't know about geography. I believe in our law. I believe in Elijah Muhammad is the messenger of God and many great me and have to go to jail. And so I don't think no tension toward the time comes I'll just have to go. Boys in Vietnam were down for what they believe and I came home for down for what they believe so I'll just help and they died to free

people 10000 miles away. So I'll just have to suffer so that the so-called Negroes could be free so they could have Idol and the image they can look up to they didn't sell them out. Do you think. Do more for your people by going to jail. Oh yes there's a report that your manager Herbert will have to enter the army. No sorry can do not like that. Everything I do is of my own music. When did the report come out that report was a paper about two weeks ago and now this is just wrong. I can't believe that I'm this strong they would weaken me and put three and by threatening to take in my power and they will never work in America the government won't let me leave America where I can work and I'm getting stronger and this shakes up a lot of people to see when they're strong it also makes other so-called Negro strong who are facing the same problems and in this way I think I can do for more of my people have never had a big black man. They just stood up.

And identify with the struggle of his people thousand percent. Once they can get a white girl a blonde a brunette home our show on Broadway usually every neighbor watching the show now will tell you that you can talk to them they are too big to be with people they go marry other than Oh and I'm so happy and proud to become great in boxing to become the greatest wonder ever leader of the great great great a boxer evilly of I'm the first one that they had to take a title from in the history of all the red white and blue American titles. I'm the first one that they tried to make the world believe that when the champion and never that never has been beaten they had about five years. Well I don't know I'm not really weren't about boxing Mormons the spiritual works that your mom and preachers are preaching the Word of God. I forget about sports is not in my blood only rice takes no more. They make you vicious I just see

lamb now and fish. Holy foods and this keeps me from being vicious feeling. Really don't miss and I have nothing else to gain I beat the best German head all for the best. Canada had all four in one the best of America had all four. Two time United States Golden Gloves champion champion twice Olympic gold medal want to defend a title nine times predicted the rounds all my opponents. I wrote poems and poetic fashion how they would fall and I cannot go no farther. Sports and first another thing I like to say I'm the only black man that black people can now say I have such champion. Like all the same Arsenal best undefeated and retired outstrips old Joe Most came back he let the people down he got beat and Sugaree was a black prat and they got him beat up. But I'm the first one to you think you might just like now you say and I certainly believe you would have been with you for long enough to know that your versus your your

beliefs but you're a man of God. Is there a conflict between your price. Well yes we don't believe in we don't believe in sports. We were still just speaking right. We don't consider a box and following the sport is not without attention is not to kill Oh uses a fist in their pen and we have referees doctors and just then tension is to beat the man I'll point to and I've been criticized and I've heard me and ministers ask the colonel because I don't like her. Sure all is in a fight but if I did fight the only reason would be to get out of debt. This is the only way that I have to make the necessary money to pay my draft lawyers which out $280000 better $280000 for your trials or seitan for justice cost me that much and then other things back alimony to the wife and I can pay you know better now because I'm not allowed to work and I had to Godhra So if I did fight it will be for those reasons were just box in the box tomorrow if I want to I can just go in a box with the money.

Three years ago when we were coming on the way from Boston big red your great bus with Otis 5 x was driving better get the back of the bus which we did. And that we have a lot of fun and the last fight just even though you had all this on the right and all the pressure you were with you put on the Dracula asks was one of you tried and we had a great time out there and people who know you and you've had a lot of criticism in the press but people who live with you. What kind of person you are and you enjoy the people in this celebrity you enjoy that you missed that. No as I said I can't go to I can go to our inbox and there's no one I could be who could give me more praise and then a box of I'm always around people. I'm still around people every day I'm around six of them traveling with me today. Every city I go to people away from not just left. College here.

MIT and university were well received. We have a white audience. Everywhere I go we was up at Fairleigh Dickinson in New York C.W. Post University University and Penn State. Morgan State College and you like to be with people all in the song. Me not box and didn't take nothing away from you as far as famous concern are people I can always hold my hand I don't always put on a necktie and I can talk most boxes are you working on a show now even the ones fighting they can talk like I'm talking right now isn't here so I have lots to fall back on so I can just ask the question alone. I just can't miss boxen remember that night that we were on the bus when you leave Florida. We stopped to get you it was a Jim Crow diner out and you didn't go in. I told him not to go at first I told him not to go because I can tell I went in first and the man said we don't serve negroes I said Yes I'm sorry and I want cause we don't believe in force and places of self and you said

that like you said you're following Martin Luther King and people like that and you're wrong. Now remember there were not to mention him I'm sure I didn't like you I think you said something about that wasn't the way to go about it when I saw it the way I don't want you there and this is his restaurant and if he hates you that much to put you out of the shooter's own why brother to keep you out as a possibility. Never never milkshake you won't let me go back and make good you know spirit. And I'm sure somebody spilled milk shake it makes it up you can see here i'll see why you have to be sick mentally to one of 47 the places where you know I want to you see the mandate you see they don't want you down here I want you to leave him alone we're going somewhere else he said. Right I mean this lady came I would not pass out totally to people and won't you just make yourself look like a fool. But we were all down the street and otherwise we could hear right.

But tell us about the Muslims now as I said the day after you won you remember that very well Sonny Liston the Big Bear if you color sat in his corner of the world everybody thought this is a refreshing hours wonder what was his trainer talking about I was given this you know this train was talking about when this is a son a son to get up their own sons and my mama didn't raise no fool I'm staying right here. Do you get that poetry still going on as I was going to say that the next day when everybody was. The stereotype thing here's a refreshing young man we ground out. You're a Muslim and people got that right over there is a good boy when I was how and I am the grevious I cannot be beat. I am pretty sure I was a good boy. But when I said my relations are what's wrong with that you have 600 million most alone are and most of them only mean one who submits an talent to

the will of God Allah and Islam only means peace anti-TSA mission and we don't believe in forcing ourselves on you why don't you know so we know why why isn't growing up this was the best I can do to scare Negroes to keep them from coming because negroes by nature love their enemies they pray for those who use them Legros by nature though I know better. And so think it make people think that we are a group that are frightened but we don't hate white people we know white people we know the history of white people. For example if a tiger broke in his room now I would beat you get louder for a rattlesnake broken or beat you get. I don't hate rattlesnakes I don't hate I just know what I'm after. Nature the snake the tiger I want to try to eat when I'm asleep with him because I know that he might bite me. So now that we can ever get alarmed I think that was your point there are no whites and blacks cannot get along. This is Nature is getting worse every day the latest government fact finding committee you're saying that things are becoming to be

separate just to for SAT is black and white as what we've been telling the separation and the government admits that there's common white women and got gun clubs all over the country right now to shoot black targets I understand making guns addition to brick walls just to get Negroes and you know what I say. Mayor Daley in Chicago I think somebody out of helicopters or something just with these rats rotating machine guns on them and all that Britain just attack black people kind of spray and mess and bananas like what are you going to do as one of the crime of a black person. Leader that you are not on the alert if you are all unless I can have a civil war as people can be a leader but I can tell them about the leader. All I can tell them is to join on to their own kind except their own can join on to the true religion which is Islam. Join onto the Muslim teachings which is told to us by the army like Ramadan is a black man preaching the truth to black people. Clean up your own neighborhoods and do something yourself. Quit whining if they had a great reactor separate Well

Live number one damn Elijah Muhammad in the religion of Islam is give me a beautiful name which is connected me with some 56 moved countries of 56 government imitation. This is why Washington will let me go to Japan to fight because they prosecute an attorney there came to Houston and told the judge that if we let this man leave he might not come back because he has 600 million miles on brothers they were glad to make him and make him a millionaire fugitive. So this is what is done to me what I used to try to get a love of whites and there to be with whites and I can go sit with kings in Egypt Lebanon Syria Pakistan Indonesia Saudi Arabia. This is taught me a knowledge of myself taught me to love and respect my own people told me to marry and my own women. Our great negroes were obviously not uncomfortable with whites and comfortable. Why you want to be right comfortable when we are comfortable with you because I know how far to go with you I'm not going to go home with you now if I was

your daughter I'm not going try to push you out of your suburb I integrate so fast as well like Governor Wallace he tells the truth. But like yours Well yes that's true fi tales we like. He tells the truth. I say I'm telling the truth. You know it's been a tough influence in this country. Oh I don't agree with everything Obama say but I like what he say when he says a negro shouldn't vote for yourself in a white neighborhood and white people should have to move out of the neighborhood because one Negro comes they don't want to sell the house to make sense of a person don't won't you are you going to push yourself on this is a myth that there is a right and let the people do it they won't do any local government what they can decide what they want to do in their own community and just don't make some so-called liberal coming on and bust the neighborhood up and they all have to pack up and go somewhere else and always be what would you say for your people there living on the floor about conditions in Chicago. Living in terrible conditions all of this is all over the world litterateur conditions is why lies Rama teaches that a decent plan of their own where they can produce and build their own homes schools

factories and hospitals as they are so often have been turned away from many white and get some lands as we help build America to be fit to the richest state on the planet. Vote in all American wars to help maintain an Upholder government why not should we have some of the land where we can be able to construct miracles of doctors Negros allow us physicians mechanics plumbers electricians Why not. Can we go somewhere now and build a future for our children such as other people washes we just remain beggars and employees while not can we go and a job but isn't that hell would you want some land. United States value lies mamma teaches us that God told him not me that this land should be here or elsewhere just like all people know people to be free and independent what Outland. No people can be free if they can't feed themselves. No people can be free if they don't clothe themselves negroes of 22 million people realize mommy teaches us. We don't make shoes strange 22 million people know how to pick factory. Twenty two million people of you white people quote the grocery stores tomorrow we will starve to death but you have your own stores. First

of all he's realized Mom has banned hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland throughout the country can end up in food and taking it to supermarkets and his restaurants this bill and all of the countries got his own colleges universities. He's on radio worldwide now national in America is on TV and Washington spends 2 million newspapers we call mommies be especially when your mask and temples all over the country and he is the black man for black people to follow is not just asking for job is not just a house in a white neighborhood this is nothing. It's in a role that if I'd be quality with white man's dough you might say why. Well when they say We want open house and they still get in on the dog at the dog suite in the house with white people in the bare minium and Negroes want to rat on the best transportation of from what white people are dogs new Benetti rat right in front seat us Liam and sunshine and I'll drive right in front seat car and negroes they wanted a white man restaurant in this net steal the dog read out the same plate RCD is so in reality the negroes not fight equality with white men. He's bi be quality white man's dog to be equal to man he she nice of airports and train

stations on television come with some water plant some fall to get those and not if he has some land of his only has one of the white man game justice and repaid him for building up this country and work and the 300 people are still very high Michael. Rap Brown sail the white stone Well they have to be militant they are you know really good we will look like fools trying to be valid against the most powerful military country on earth we will look like a bully running down a road track head on into a locomotive train. You might say look at our brave Bobo Nebo come head on with that train. All he will have left as a monument is his blood his flush on a track so we can be powerful against the man who makes the bullets who makes the gods will look like fools will go on and on a roof. If every negro had a machine gun a tank top a Zuko years round of ammunition and a good hideout we would have a chance because we don't control no food after 2 or 3 days we have been hungry for us to be valid against America we would have to have superior weapons than America. And we don't

have to factor is another of the dig the material the manufacture the weapons and if we would get the weapons we would have to get over here if we were not sure you are not going to give of negroes and shoot us I'm not here to talk salary was Don't get angry with Rap Brown. I don't agree with Martin Luther King. We are black people who are fighting for freedom just an equality everybody have their pros there's a war going on in Vietnam. One man fights from there one man fights from the land one man fights from on top of the water one man fights in the submarine underwater One man comes home these are secret service men are they all fight the same common enemy as they say the Vietnamese and people but they have different approaches. Negroes have different approaches for their freedom one member even integrate and one day we'll all be Whitey So you know why white people have 200 years. One believes in education and politics will solve it one by one of the country. One memory of integration and we believe separation somewhere to ourselves or solve it so we're not here to talk about these fellows the same dog bit him bit me and bite me. But we just don't agree with that approach to the freedom but we ALL OF OUR them

if they are sincere and their way and one day we hope that they will also recognize the true leader Elijah Mohammed and will also move on. What do you think will happen one day one day when you think what happened here. Well when he dies we will be and we will be and and heaven will be in the area after on earth. America will be destroyed and this will all be over the negroes with America will go down with America and we will be free. We work to be over and we have a fuse just around the corner. We don't have a lot of years of America. I was about to say the most is to know what all guys profit but they accomplish their mission to have a private messenger. He's not here to tell us what's going to happen is tell us what's happening. He's a messenger the Messenger of Allah to the so-called Negro.

What about your own life. You have a young baby on the way and about to have another LOBO I hope and I'm young enough to hold the crown until he's around. Well I don't think I want to box I'm going to send him to school and I'm going to make him study and work and he's going to be a wise man. Home Box. Right above me and I saw home and fix it up nice and beautiful 18 year old Muslim girl. Oh yes I've got a couple of Cadillacs but I'm trying to get my plate cause I'm too slow. I travel so much every day I'm in certain cities and I'm always moving always have cars or driving a kilometer and so on and I would like to have my own private plane price and I mean that I have a cause like the Arcus and Kansas City where they make those things Wichita working now would give me a good deal on one well maybe a public police cause I

guess not pry into your personal affairs have been so many stories that you've been like that you're broke so your life is doing $80000 on one hand how you talk about going I say Lisi but our taxes pay for it anyway. What I'm trying to say is that I'm just about broke I'm not allowed to work here now in America I'm not allowed to leave America like YOLO as I did fight 13 years I was 29 fights in one year but I was I went nine title fights and out of those nine big title fights market was two million dollars market after everybody got everything now not after that. This before taxes for taxes a year after the marriage was paid after an opponent was paid to pain a man The Popcorn Man everybody was 2 million and out of 2 million the 10 white men to back me a low bow. They made a deal with the government behind my back about it real quick they made a deal with the government or they would give the

government 90 percent of all my earnings before I got a lot to keep me from being broke they say. But 90 percent of my 2 million dollars went to the American government so that only left me 10 percent out of 2 million to live on. After that I had to pay one hundred fifty thousand to get rid of my first wife because he went on a favor. And then actually cost me money to Leo so the money is about to go and I don't know why people are so confused over one negro box of low end phones are depleted in farms when America is broke. America is now canceling trips and things to save money as of you know big powerful America King it broke in the little negro box OK it broke. Well that's your severed our connections our management group which is the group that brought you aren't you. A friendly country Iran. They want renewable and they want to

give in a price war so we just said to the manager you go back to your mother. Yes I was there two days ago I was in but I don't have time to stay there to Leicester town looks so small and the people move so slow. Fans are raised there will still stand on the same corner and nothing's going around the same places. When you get out and travel the knowledge you get when you get knowledge wisdom understanding and when you've been around the world cup to them like me and talking to wise men like you newspaper me and all these TV shows and and this makes your wife tells you when you go back to the one horse towns just K-State she was absent they are married get out. It's inverse. Even in jail I'm going to have a moving place. I don't know. Have you gotten any specific word about when they will act on your appeal.

I got a letter. They said get ready. Because they are cleaning out your hole to take you on the tree old old what out without bail. Yeah I have to I told my wife she's packing up a few things and I left a certain money up buried for her to go back to get married you better watch. Probably watching the show as I love birth a lot of money that I make after taxes. I make a lot of money like if I make up fifteen hundred dollars in speaking engagement I give the government that 30 percent then I take what's left of my I don't put in the bank's costs. Banks might go broke or they might get Rob just take my money and I had it here and I had it. Tell her whether or not you are right now Bill Russell Garcia coaches the boss I said to him two years ago I said. It's it's a shame that this boy is such an attractive boy such a fire fighter his wind up throw like this and he said well I just shows you don't understand he said.

That's why we admire him so he's ready to give up everything for us. I haven't and I haven't I have a right to do that. People you're talking about they spend money on white women. They set up bars and they win planned pool and golf $4000 a hole and they were known to make millions and millions when it was no high taxes and they were not handed by white America they were allowed the white America is completely close all the doors on me I'm not allowed to work in America out America I will stop right in my prime Just when I start making money. Comparing me with nobody like Joel was a nobody and I had a very yes and tomorrow I can go back to get the money if I would only deny my faith if I would only join up against my religion. I could easily go back to make a million so I can always say that I tried this down I didn't I didn't. I didn't. Who said I turned it down. And I go I'll stay with my he had. We've always had your head high

and yes I thank you and I'm not of what they call long tall and money mother flushing the blood of my freedom of flesh in the blood and the freedom of our people comes before money and this is why black people don't know what a day. A white man such as you a sand they are always talking about money. You're broke. Are you losing money. Threat not people with money we you won't eat are you going to live off. Well this is why we don't know what a day because every time a black man get in a position while the baby is a fallen world the youth has fallen in the end he said I was looking when you're moving around that 30 year heat who was looking at everybody's looking while you're there I'd like to see you have it all where you said everybody all you know so I would not feel proud I can tell him he's the greatest I can tell him to be somebody I can tell them to for a lot older. What are you loser look what I did then I can preach this all helps what I'm standing for and I'm just happy everything I'm doing I like people see visit why you're not tired of old look at how great you're so happy for you buddy God damn you I'm nobody going as I said I've done not what I

outta go it's great to have you with us Mohammed Ali price but I think you can't get a minister to his people now. We'll have a tally right and I'm wrong Joe Frazier slings you get out OK Joe Frazer over the side.