Alred C. Frett. Photo: VINO

Most are comfortable blaming Parkinson's disease for his death but this was no accident… This was directly orchestrated by those who chose to use their Power to abuse others and started when he chose to fight against Unfairness and Injustice… All of this at a time when Governments forced the Less Fortunate to kill and die in support of their Personal Wars – Ali simply refused to be drafted.

He saw it as wrong and hypocritical to be forced into the Vietnam War to kill Persons who did him no harm especially when his own Country regarded him as less than a Man and legally restricted from Public Space simply because he was born Black… Such conditions had already caused him to reject traditional Religion and join the Nation of Islam which encouraged Black Self-Development.

As we spectate the Systems took another life:

Perhaps Slave Masters Descendants saw in this a Black Man’s Independence that could not be tolerated… Sadly, many Blacks sided with them and in the Process Ali was charged by the Courts, stripped of his hard earned Titles and prevented from making a living to support his Family – After 3 years he was weakened enough for subsequent fights to result in Brain Damage and Parkinson’s. 

Clearly, he was killed by the same Leadership mentality now loudly embracing his memory and praise his efforts - you only believe they are sincere because you wish not to acknowledge that they have continued the same things he stood against – Politicians still practice Racism, Religion still victimise Islam, Courts still destroy Blacks and Governments still kill Children in foreign lands.

Nothing will change until we do:

Ali and Mandela started out as ordinary Men and there is no need to paint them as Saints but they both shared the resolution ‘Never to sell out their People’… However, the more things change the more they remain the same, so, just like Mandela, the Body of Muhammad Ali ceased to function and his Soul has departed but his Spirit lives on in the Lives of those he touched mentally and physically.

Together and apart they lost Lives in the Struggle to bring positive change to corrupt Systems and we owe them enormously … The Mission is far from over but in some ways they succeeded far beyond their own dreams and it is now left for us to continue the Struggle to prevent these same Systems from having our Children and their Children populate the Street, Prisons and Graveyards.

Soon it will be another Father’s Day and there is no time to lose because but the Bad Breeze that buffeted Ali still blows as our Men of Value continue to be victimised, ostracised and crucified via the same Courts of Corruption, Politicians of Wickedness and Religions of Hypocrisy… If Ali and Mandela should ask us if their Lives and Struggles were vain, I wonder what would be our true reply.

PS: I will continue addressing some of your Questions & Comments on Live BVP Radio Programmes