Muhammad Ali and his Role in the Civil Rights Movement - Part 1

I've contemplated sharing this for a while, but I am finally going to share this piece of writing. This is my history essay that I have written when I was in my first year at university. I have written this essay around March of 2010, and it was the creation of many hours of research that I have personally put in. I can't remember what grade I received, but I'm sure it was a solid A-minus. It's nice to see the differences in my writing from then to now, and to see how far I have come along.

I have not changed the content in any way for this post. Everything is the same as it was when I originally submitted the essay. The only alteration I have made is the removal of references. If anyone wants to know the references I have used, I will be happy to provide those in a separate blog post. Due to the length of the essay, I have broken it up into two parts. Part 1 is below, and Part 2 will be posted tomorrow. Any comments are greatly appreciated.

The 1960’s were a time of unrest in the United States. There were protests across university campuses opposing the Vietnam War. A generation was starting to find a voice. The 1960’s were also the height of the Civil Rights Movement, where black people were trying to fight for equal rights to their white counterparts. Many leaders stood up to the cause of fighting for equal rights, such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, but there was one recognizable figure that used his popularity to stand up for what he believed and gave a sort of hope for African Americans during these tense times, and that man was Muhammad Ali. He was a young, brash man, who provided a great example on how to be an individual protester by speaking about his beliefs and his dislike for racism in the United States. Muhammad Ali played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement by expressing his views in certain events he was a part in, such as his affiliation to the Nation of Islam, as well as his opposition of the Vietnam War. His example rallied the African Americans to fight for black pride and black resistance against white domination, as well as for the equal rights they truly deserved.

Muhammad Ali was born as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in 1942 named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., to a working-class family in Louisville, Kentucky and began his boxing career at age twelve. He began to fight in the amateur ranks in boxing, and quickly became a rising boxer, having an amateur record of one hundred wins with five losses. He participated in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Italy, where he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division by beating his Polish opponent. After he won the gold medal, he returned to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, where he experienced the racism that was gripping the United States. He thought that he was going to be treated like a champion because he won the gold medal, but he was refused service at a “whites-only” restaurant, and then fought with a motorcycle gang. Disgusted by the racism and hardship he had to deal with, Cassius threw his gold medal into the Ohio River. What he did was an act of defiance, and it was a stand to the mistreatment of blacks in the United States. That single action is the beginning of his fight in the Civil Rights Movement. That action is what also intrigued Nation of Islam leader Malcolm X to invite Cassius Clay into the Nation of Islam.

After Cassius Clay’s first heavyweight bout with Sonny Liston, where he finally became the heavyweight champion of the world for the first time, he revealed that he had become a member of the Nation of Islam, and had changed his name to Muhammad Ali.  He got the name Muhammad Ali from the leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad. Muhammad believed that the name Cassius Clay was “a slave name” and wanted to change his name to represent a slave-trader, rather than a slave-liberator. It is widely assumed that Muhammad Ali was attending Nation of Islam meetings even before his match with Sonny Liston. This obviously sparked controversy in the United States, and few people accepted his new identity. He was hated not because he was black, but now also because of his newly found religious beliefs. He became a member of the Nation of Islam when the United States were looking at the Nation of Islam with suspicion, and even with hostility. He didn't help his cause with the white public of the United States when he started to flaunt and express his religious views. When talking about his new name, Muhammad is quoted as saying:

“Cassius Clay is a slave name. I didn't choose it and I didn't want it. I am Muhammad Ali, a free name – It means beloved of God – and I insist people use it when speaking to me and of me”

Muhammad Ali became the most visible spokesman in the Nation of Islam, and those teachings became the core of who he was at the time. He spoke on a variety of issues. On the integration of white and black people, Ali says: “We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man; that's all.” On the issue of inter-racial marriage, Ali says: “No intelligent black man or black woman in his or her right black mind wants white boys and white girls coming to their homes to marry their black sons and daughters.” On the issue of brotherhood, Ali says: “We're not all brothers. You can say we're brothers, but we're not.” On the need for a separate black homeland, Ali is quoted saying:

“Why don't we get out and build our own nation? White people just don't want their slaves to be free. That's the whole thing. Why not let us go and build ourselves a nation? We want a country. We're 40 million people, but we'll never be free until we own our own land.”

These views presented by Muhammad Ali were views that he felt strongly about. Ali embraced his black heritage when many African Americans were trying to run from it.

Obviously, the media, as well as white Liberals and black Americans came down hard in Ali and his views. Tennis great Arthur Ashe gave his opinion on Muhammad Ali’s ties to the Nation of Islam, saying:

“I never went along with the pronouncements of Elijah Muhammad that the white man was the devil and that blacks should be striving for separate development; a sort of American apartheid. That never made sense to me. It was a racist ideology and I didn't like it.”

Former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson also added his opinion on Muhammad Ali and the Nation of Islam:

“I've been told that Clay has every right to follow any religion he chooses and I agree. But, by the same token, I have every right to call the Black Muslims a menace to the United States and a menace to the Negro race. I do not believe God put us here to hate one another. Cassius Clay is disgracing himself and the Negro race."

Another former heavyweight champion, Joe Louis chimed in with what he thought as well: “I've always believed that every man is my brother. Clay will earn the public's hatred because of his connections with the Black Muslims.” It seems that many people had something to say to oppose Ali and his religious views, but to many others, Ali is viewed as the prime symbol of black pride and provided a resistance to an unfair social order by preaching something that was different from mainstream values.

Part 2 is here.

Canada 3-1 Jamaica: Post-Game + Media Gallery

The Canadian Men's National Football Team finally returned to action at the National Soccer Stadium (usually known as BMO Field) where they faced off against Jamaica, who came up short in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and were looking to start off on the right foot themselves. It was a spirited match, and Canada ran away 3-1 winners, which was their first win in about two years, and their first multi-goal game in a long while as well.

There were two things I noticed as soon as I entered the stadium. The first thing I noticed was the sheer amount of empty seats at the stadium. I felt like the match could have been promoted better, as I didn't really hear about the match a whole lot through the different types of media. However, the match did have some challenges when it came to attracting people to come out, such as the fact that it was a weekday match (Tuesday evening), and that they had to compete against the Toronto Blue Jays, who were playing in the Rogers Centre at the same time. It also didn't help that the Canadian team wasn't very good.

The second thing I noticed was that there was a strong contingent of Jamaican supporters at the stadium. Canada matches that take place in Canada (especially in Toronto) always had the issue where the team that they were playing had more supporters in the stadium than the Canadian fans. That always bothered me, and I made the joke that all the Jamaican supporters were actually Jamaican-Canadians, and I have a suspicion that I might actually be right. Name me one person that flew from Jamaica to Toronto just to go watch this friendly, I don't think you will be able to.

As for the match itself, I was pleased with Canada's performance. Canada were understandably a bit rusty at the beginning stages of the match, but the Canadian midfield imposed themselves and were in control (Hutchinson and De Guzman had solid performances). The Canadian defence were quite composed and even though they had some scary moments when Jamaica threatened the goal, they were able to shut them out. Milan Borjan had a stellar performance, making great saves and not being afraid to come out for the ball. The Canadian forwards had a tough time putting the ball on target, which echoed previous struggles whenever Canada played, but luckily for them, the scoring came from other sources.

It's worth noting that the response from Canada after Jamaica scored the first goal was something I have never seen from this team. They would usually wilt under the pressure of going behind, but they instead roared back quickly, and then put the game out of reach. Much credit to the coach, Benito Floro, for his role in inspiring the team.

The Canadian supporters in sections 112-114 were absolutely fantastic. They didn't stop singing for the entire duration of the match, and they brought an atmosphere that was sorely lacking whenever Toronto FC played at BMO Field. It was without a doubt, the best atmosphere at BMO Field this year, and the supporters deserve a lot credit for that.

Lastly, I have a couple of videos. The first one was taken immediately after the match ended where the Canadian players thanked the supporters for coming out to watch them beat Jamaica. The second video was taken outside Gate 3 after the match where more singing and chanting ensued.

Overall, it was an awesome time out. I met various supporters from here in Toronto, from Ottawa, and beyond. The match was also quite entertaining, and it was good to see Canada prepare for their World Cup qualifying with a win. This may be wishful thinking, but I hope this win lays the ground work for shaking off the "loser stench" that has plagued the Canadian National team for so long.

The Story of a Man Named Dave

I've well documented, whether on Twitter or on this very blog, that my first year at university was probably the most entertaining and the happiest time of my life so far. Most of the people that lived in my dorm were a delight to be around, and to get to know. However, with all the great people I met, there were a couple of people who lived at my dorm who were a bit odd. I am going to tell the story of one such person that I've regularly encountered in my first year at university.

These are my experiences interacting with a man named Dave.

Dave looked like your typical nerd. He was a rather tall fellow, almost Frankenstein-like. His skin was pale white, and the blushes on his face were as prominent as the glasses he wore. He always dressed in the same cargo pants, like he was about to go camping, and he was always hunched over when he walked, like Quasimodo. His freakiest feature was his fingers. I can't describe it in words, but this popular YouTube video easily expresses what it looks like. His voice was as deep as the bottom of the ocean, like a lonely blue whale yearning for a soul-mate.

Dave was a fourth-year student at university while myself and almost everyone else in the dorm were first-year students. All throughout his university career, he lived in a dorm, and it surprised me why he wouldn't live off-campus after his first year. I can only speculate, but maybe he wanted to try to get to know new people every year and build some friendships, but as I got to know him throughout my first year of university, he turned out to be quite a bizarre individual.

Whenever my friends and I were doing something in the lounge, whether it be playing cards or video games, Dave would walk in and observe what we were up to. Sometimes he would just walk out and not say a word, while other times he would try to strike up a conversation with us. Even though the commonalities between us and him were small, he was included in the activities that we did. As we got to know him, he became more comfortable with the rest of us, and we were exposed to some of the strange things that he did.

A couple of times that we ate together, Dave would order a sub and then proceed to apply an insane amount of mayonnaise to his sub. Every time he took a bite of his sub, a big gob of mayo would drop from his sub (or his mouth) onto the paper the sub was originally wrapped in. That's pretty disgusting, if I do say so myself. When we would order pizza, he would take a slice from the pizza box when he wasn't even half way finished eating the slice already in his hand, which is a bit greedy in my opinion. When it came to girls that he didn't like, he would call them "wenches" like we were living in a time when pirates dominated the seas. A phrase that he regularly says is "You've gotta be fucking me" which is a variation of the popular phrase "You've gotta be kidding me" (though I'm pretty sure no girl wanted to fuck him). I got the feeling that his presence in the activities my friends and I did made everyone feel uncomfortable, but no one had the guts to speak up about it, except behind his back.

Dave was also an avid drinker, and it seemed like every evening, he would always have a can of beer while we were all hanging out in the common lounge. Most of the dorm-mates have not seen him drunk, but I remember the distinct time when I've actually seen him drunk. One night, my friend and myself were playing Zelda in the lounge, and he would come in and watch us play while helping us out with the quest and pounding beers. He ended up getting drunk, and kept referring to the Song of Time as the "SOT". Whenever Link was in danger, Dave would angrily tell us to "play the SOT". This may not be the most entertaining drunk story, but let me emphasize that despite drinking beer every evening, you would never see him actually get drunk. It would be like watching the Aurora Borealis.

Most of the interactions with Dave are whenever we would play Super Smash Brothers on the old N64 in the common lounge. Dave would play along with us, and because no one really liked him, everyone would try to eliminate him from the game early. Whenever I played Smash with him, I always made sure that I get him out first. He had names for the characters I always used. For example, he kept calling Pikachu "the rat" (Sidenote: Pikachu is a mouse), and he kept calling Yoshi "the constipated dinosaur", which is true, to be honest.

He would also get angry when he gets eliminated from Smash. On a couple of occasions, he would throw the controller on the ground and walk out of the common lounge. There was also another incident that would live in first year infamy. My friends thought I had a bit of a rivalry with Dave when it came to Smash. One day, after I again crushed Dave, I blurted out the following line:

"I don't consider you my rival, I consider you my bitch."

I never meant to actually say those words, but Dave was upset, called me some names, and then stormed out of the common lounge. After he stormed out, everyone started bursting out in laughter. I regret saying those words now, but I guess it acted like a release of what everyone thought of him. Nobody really liked him.

Looking back at all of these interactions with Dave, Dave was actually a nice guy and tried to fit in. But his awkwardness, behaviors, and mannerisms made everyone feel uncomfortable. No one really had the guts to tell him their feelings toward him directly, so we all shunned him in a passive-aggressive way. At the end of first year, I could see why he lived in the dorms for his entire time in university, and I think it was because he couldn't get along with his dorm-mates in prior years. It's quite sad thinking about it, and from time-to-time, I wondered what he would be up to now.

I know it's about 5 years too late, but I would like to apologize for my conduct towards you. I genuinely hope you are living a nicer life.

Toronto FC vs. Tottenham Hotspur FC - Post-Game + Media Gallery

I went to the friendly last Wednesday between Toronto FC and Tottenham Hotspur. Now before I hear it from the "anti-friendlies" brigade about why I would even think about going to the match, I would like to tell you that my ticket was free, and I had nothing to do that night. If you had a free ticket to a friendly involving TFC, I'm pretty sure you would go as well. Regardless, it was a nice evening out.

Not surprisingly, there was a large congregation of Spurs supporters at the stadium, with many of them getting their one chance of a lifetime to see the team they support. I'd say there was probably a 40-60 split between Spurs supporters and those wearing TFC/plain clothing. With friendlies of this nature, it was also not surprising to see fans wear gear of the rivals as well. I did see a handful of people wearing Arsenal gear, and I'll be honest, I hope they got jumped.

I make it to the stadium, meet my large group of friends and family, and perched myself at the top of 111 to watch the match.

Spurs came out for their warm-ups to a rousing cheer, but the loudest of cheers went towards Jermain Defoe, as he was playing against his old team. He received cheers from both Spurs and TFC fans.

The teams lined up, the anthems were played, and we were ready to go.

The 1st half was a little bit dull, to be honest. It was easy to see the gulf in quality between the strong EPL team and the mid-table MLS club. TFC struggled to get out of their own half while Spurs were applying the pressure, especially on Kyle Bekker in the centre of midfield. Erik Lamela scored 2 goals for Spurs (insert joke that this was his biggest contribution in a Spurs uniform) and the half ended 2-0 to the visitors from North London.

The atmosphere was a bit subdued and our section stayed sitting down, despite the section being a standing section. I'd like to give special props to the group of people at the top of 110 drumming up some sort of atmosphere with chants and singing. I'm pretty sure they were the only people in the entire stadium creating prolonged support for Toronto FC. Even the south stand was understandably dead.

There was an incident at around the 30th minute of the match when four people showed up very late to the row below me and threw a fit that people were sitting in the seats that they bought. Yes, they had those seats, but it was impossible to feel sympathy for them when they showed up so late. When you come to the stadium, show up on time! What a bunch of morons.

The 2nd half began. Spurs sat back and TFC went forward to try to get back into the match. Spurs were definitely trying in the 2nd half (that was sarcasm, by the way). Andrew Wiedeman scored for TFC to make the score 2-1, and then Jordan Hamilton scored with a nice finish past the ancient Brad Friedel to tie the match. Spurs then decided to try again and they got their winner from Andros Townsend to make the final score 3-2 to Tottenham.

After the match, I went over to where the Tottenham players were coming out to watch them write autographs to the supporters patiently waiting. I actually managed to shake hands with Christian Eriksen, while I got snubbed by Lewis Holtby and new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

All in all, it was an enjoyable night, especially for the Spurs supporters that came out. I'm happy that they got to see their idols and it gave them something to remember for the rest of their life. People will complain about friendlies, especially involving Toronto FC, but I hope they realize that the revenue potentials and the reach that it has in potentially bringing new supporters to BMO Field to watch TFC matches, for the most part, outweighs the fatigue and potential injuries that may happen to the Toronto FC players. Remember that Toronto FC is a business, and it needs to maximize profits. Would you rather they increase the prices of season tickets for next year in order to increase revenues?

Regardless, I had fun, and I'm glad I had a free ticket to this event.

My Top 10 Moments of the 2014 World Cup

The 2014 FIFA World Cup is unfortunately over, and it was an incredible tournament. Most of the teams provided entertaining football, and it was almost a complete contrast to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where most teams played not to lose. The 2014 tournament provided some amazing moments that I will remember for a very long time. Here are my top 10 moments of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, in chronological order.

1: Robin Van Persie's "flying header" against Spain

www.ballball.com

This was probably the most photogenic moment of the World Cup. Daley Blind puts in an absolute peach of a cross, and Van Persie sprints ahead of the ball-watching Spanish defence. He does well to adjust his body and it almost seemed like he jumped into the ball to head it past a helpless Iker Casillas and into the net. That goal definitely put a literal definition into the phrase "Flying Dutchman", and helped the Netherlands towards a rout of Spain.

2: Guillermo Ochoa's diving save against Neymar (Brazil vs. Mexico)

www.mlssoccer.com

It was almost inhuman how Ochoa managed to get to the ball and make a spectacular diving fingertip save on Neymar's powerful, perfectly placed header. You would think that heading that ball with power towards the side of the net would be a sure goal, but Ochoa almost made that save look effortless. It was indeed the save of the tournament. Ochoa's save, and his performance in general, ensured a draw against the high-powered hosts of Brazil.

3: Tim Cahill's volley for Australia against the Netherlands

www.independent.co.uk

A hopeful long ball into the box turned into the goal of the tournament. Australia weren't going to produce much, but who honestly saw that coming? Tim Cahill took one look at that long ball and then launched a nuclear missile of a volley off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net. It was a thunderous strike which Jasper Cillessen had no chance of saving.

4: Lionel Messi's last-gasp winner against Iran

www.wired868.com

Argentina and Iran were locked in a defensive battle for the majority of the match, with Iran holding firm against Argentina's advances and hoping for a famous result against the footballing superpower. Argentina needed someone to change the course of the match in their favour. Argentina needed Lionel Messi. He received the ball near the top of the 18 yard box, cuts left, and unleashes an unstoppable strike inside the far post. He put the team, and the country of Argentina, on his back, and anyone who still doubted that Messi can step up his game for his country have finally been silenced.

5: Luis Suarez's bite of Giorgio Chiellini (Italy vs. Uruguay)

www.independent.co.uk

It was a moment of madness from someone who simply doesn't learn. You can't bite people on the pitch, or anywhere for that matter. I've already made a post talking about the incident, but I hope he uses this four-month ban to get some serious help and to re-evaluate his life. Maybe his transfer to Barcelona can help with that. Surprisingly, the Suarez bite wasn't the defining moment of the 2014 World Cup.

6: James Rodriguez's volley against Uruguay

www.mirror.co.uk

Many football fans already knew about James Rodriguez from his playing days at Porto and now Monaco, but I think his volley was the moment when the whole world was introduced to him. His first touch was to control the ball with his chest, and his second touch was a precision looping volley that Fernando Muslera couldn't stop. Rodriguez was already having a great tournament, but that goal cemented him as the breakout star of the World Cup.

7: Tim Howard's goalkeeping performance against Belgium

www.abcnews.go.com

Despite the United States losing in extra time to Belgium in the Round of 16, Tim Howard was at his absolute best, making a record 16 saves in the match and regularly bailing out his defenders. It even spawned a popular hashtag (#ThingsTimHowardCouldSave). It was a shame that the rest of his team couldn't perform up to his standard, but Tim Howard's performance was one for the ages.

8: Neymar's broken vertebra

www.cbc.ca

Brazil may have progressed to the semi-final over Colombia, but it came at a great loss. Juan Zuniga made a reckless challenge and planted a knee right in Neymar's back, breaking his vertebra. Neymar was seen as the shining light that would lead Brazil to their 6th World Cup victory, but it felt like the light was faded when he got injured. It's sad because that injury exposed the mental fragility of the Brazilian national team, and it was pounced on by Germany.

9: Germany crushing Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup semi-final

www.theaustralian.com.au

It will forever go down as one of the shock results in world football. For Brazil to lose 7-1, at home, in a World Cup semi-final, is much more than an embarrassment. It is the worst loss in all of world sport. Brazil was reeling from the losses of Neymar and Thiago Silva, and it left them mentally fragile. All it took was the first goal from Muller for the floodgates to open, and the goals came in droves. I do feel for the Brazilian population, but I also felt a bit of schadenfreude watching Brazil lose in that way.

10: Mario Gotze's winner in the final against Argentina

www.ibtimes.com

It was the "Andres Iniesta" moment of the World Cup. The World Cup Final was an even match-up between Germany and Argentina and it sorely needed a breakthrough. We got it when Mario Gotze made a run into the box, received the ball from Schurrle, controlled the ball with his chest, and dinked the ball past Sergio Romero into the net. Cue the pandemonium. Gotze goes down in World Cup folklore, and Germany claims their fourth World Cup title.

Honourable mentions:

Pepe's headbutt - Stupid thing to do, but I wasn't surprised it was Pepe. Let his country down.

John Brooks winner for the United States against Ghana - His reaction to the goal he scored put a smile on my face.

Mauricio Pinilla hits the crossbar for Chile against Brazil - He was just centimetres from winning it for his country.

Louis Van Gaal subbing in Tim Krul for penalties against Costa Rica - The manager's gamble worked.