ALI’S DAUGHTER’S MOVING TRIBUTE TO HER DAD

BY AARON MILLER

“My father always said, ‘The man who views the world at 50 the same way as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life,’ “ she said. “As my dad grew older, he evolved in his mind, his heart and his spirit, but one thing that never changed was his love and gratitude for all people.”

Her comments about her father evolving in his heart and spirit, appears to refer to some of the strong and seemingly racist comments he made against white people- an expression of the bitterness he felt  in response to wide spread racism in America at the time, and his known association with the Nation of Islam- an Islamic group actively vocal against white supremacy, who relegate white people to an inferior race that oppress white people.

No racial abuse or racial condemnation is ever legitimate, but humans are free to feel how they do on any issue. However, Laila’s quotation of her father suggests that Ali later changed and evolved in his outlook on all people.

Ali expressed appreciation of the generosity shown towards her father, and was clearly moved by them.

“These past few weeks, my father’s generosity and love has been matched by a worldwide outpouring of love and reverence for him and our entire family,” Ali continued. “We’re all honored and grateful for the love, kindness and appreciation that’s been shown to him in return. My father also once said, ‘If people love each other as much as they love me, it would be a better world.’ If he was here today he would humbly ask you to pray, not just for our family, but for all of mankind.”

Ali, herself took up professional women’s boxing for a while, and after many years of hanging of the gloves, has now put on considerable weight from her boxing days. She still has the pretty face inherited from her father’s good looks.

“BET has shown my father lots of love obviously over the years. And I also have a relationship with them so of course when I heard they were doing a tribute to my dad and they asked me to be here, I wasn’t going to say no,” she said.
“It’s nice to see all the love everyone has for my father,” she added.The death of Mohammed Ali has led to a number of claims from some of his children and ex lovers. Some have expressed deep resentment for the way they were cut out of his life when he was seriously ill with Pakinson’s disease. His son, Mohammed Ali jnr has announced his plans to write a book detailing the struggles he has faced in poverty, and the pain it has caused him being cut off from his father, known as the greatest.

However, what will last in the minds of all who loved him is the impact he ha don sports and the world in general. His daughter will always adore her well loved father, and his memory will be with her for the rest of her life.