"Ali's Moral Stand." Washington Post, June
21, 1999, p. C14.
The Washington Post, as part of its "The Century in the Post" series
reprinted an article that originally appeared in The Post on June 21,
1967. The article details the conviction and sentencing of Ali to the
maximum five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for refusing induction
into the armed forces.
Ali stood tall and rigid and stared straight ahead while an all-white
jury announced its verdict and again as U.S. District Judge Joe Ingraham
announced the sentence.
Said Ali of the verdict, "It's just what I thought. It bears out the
teachings of the honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Mighty Allah."
Prosecuting U.S. Attorney Morton Susman had indicated that he would
not object if the judge would decide to pass down less than the maximum
sentence. He indicated this, in part, because Ali:
"...had generally conducted himself in a law-abiding manner. He won
a gold medal in the 1960 Olympics and won the championship in 1964."
However:
"He was converted to the Black Muslims in 1964 - - that is where his
troubles began. It is a tragic thing that a fine young athlete could be
brought under these religious and political ideas."
At this point, Ali interjected, "My religion is not political."
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