Muhammad
Ali passed away this past Friday. He proclaimed
himself “the greatest boxer,” and history may prove that to be so. Whatever your views are about his career as a
boxer and his life in general, Ali was an activist in various realms.
He
was born Cassius Clay on January 17, 1942 and started boxing when he was 12
years old. He won the big boxing
championships and went on to win the gold at the 1960 Olympics.
He
changed his name after his conversion to Islam.
Soon after, when he was drafted for the Vietnam War, he refused to go on
moral grounds. He had his boxing title
taken away and was sentenced to five years in prison for draft evasion. He spoke out against the war and on racial
issues.
When
he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he became an advocate by
establishing the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center.
About
one million Americans have Parkinson’s, and more men than women have it. It is a disorder of the nervous system that
affects movement in the hand, arm, and leg, and spreads progressively. Another characteristic of Parkinson’s is
slurred speech.
Like
epilepsy, Parkinson’s has no cure yet.
References
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