Mohammad Ali
He is an American former professional boxer. Formerly known as Cassius Clay, Ali won his first world heavyweight championship at the age of 22 and went on to win the title three times in a row. Mohammad Ali revolutionized boxing as he brought speed, prowess, and charisma into the boxing arena. Mohammad Ali became famous when he refused to join the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He was stripped off his title and only allowed to play again in 1971.
In 1964, after winning his first world heavyweight title, Mohammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, joined the nation of Islam and consequently changed his name. In his quest for identity, Ali converted to Islam through the Nation of Islam sect that largely viewed the white people as the perpetrators of genocide against the black people.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
He is a former American basketball player who rose to stardom after helping UCLA Bruins 88 out of the 90 matches played. He was such a domineering figure in basket, and due to his dunking shots, the dunk was banned in college basketball after the 1967 season. Kareem protested against discrimination of the African-Americans by boycotting to join the US Men’s Olympics Basketball team in 1968 Summer Olympics.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. decide to change his name after learning that his people’s religion was Islam. He says that knowing about his history made him feel like he was somebody. His conversion to Islam and the subsequent name change can be viewed as a quest for identity.
Why Prejudice is used in Times of War
Prejudice and government propaganda in times of war help to form a rift between the sides that are at war. This allows the government to get the necessary support it requires from the people. However, government propaganda is not ethical. Through such propaganda, a certain group of people is segregated on the basis of their religion or race. This causes the public to pass a general judgment against a certain race or religion based on subjectivity rather than objectivity.
Work Cited
Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem . Official Website of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. (n.d). Web. 14 November 2013
Ali, Mohammad. (n.d). The Official Site of Mohammad Ali. (n.d). Web. 14 November 2013
