Saturday, May 06, 2000
Proposed gold medal for Ali prompts fight
Opposition to war offends veterans
By Derrick DePledge
Gannett News Service
WASHINGTON — Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., is gathering support to award boxer Muhammad Ali a Congressional Gold Medal, but resentment over the world champion's defiance during the Vietnam War might thwart that effort.
“It's not something you can do overnight,” said Mr. Bunning, a Hall of Fame baseball pitcher who understands the public's fascination with charismatic athletes.
Some letters in opposition to Mr. Ali receiving the medal are severe. Mel Garten, a retired infantry colonel from Tampa, Fla., said the prospect of Mr. Ali with the nation's highest civilian honor took him back to his time at an Army orthopedic ward during the Vietnam War.
“We officers, about 30 of us, felt quite annoyed when Cassius Clay changed his name, picked out a religion and decided Vietnam wasn't for him,” Mr. Garten wrote his local paper. “No drafting our best fighter. I wonder if the rest of the guys think as I do now about Ali's honors. I wonder if they think losing a limb for this country was ridiculous, when a draft dodger might get a medal.”
Bill Harrington, of Albany, N.Y., wondered if Mr. Ali was “the same man who would not fight for the country that fed, clothed, protected and made him rich and renowned?”
“Only in America could a draft dodger be honored with an award,” wrote Ralph Nolte, of Indian Springs, Ohio.
Nearly 30 years after the U.S. Supreme Court exonerated Mr. Ali for draft evasion, his defiance over serving in Vietnam still creeps into his public image. Millions of people around the world respect the three-time heavyweight boxing champion's courage, but some in America refuse to forgive the boxer's decision as a Muslim to resist the violence of war.
Mr. Ali, who was born in Louisville, has been an icon since he won a gold medal in the Rome Olympics in 1960. Young, brash and black, Mr. Ali became a frightening symbol to the white establishment when the country was in turmoil over civil rights and Vietnam. His natural gifts as a boxer — guile and lightning speed — made him fearless in the ring, while his bravado and good looks made him a celebrity. Boxing analysts still lament the fights Mr. Ali missed in the three years of his prime when he was appealing his conviction.
Mr. Ali has spent much of his time doing work for charity, but has been slowed over the past several years by Parkinson's syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes tremors, muscle stiffness and loss of balance.
“Obviously he has contributed as, if not the best, then one of the best heavyweight champions of the world,” Mr. Bunning said.
Congress has given the gold medal to more than 200 people since George Washington first received the honor for “wise and spirited conduct” in 1776. Military heroes and philanthropists dominated the list until lawmakers began to appreciate science, literature and popular culture. The Wright brothers, Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes were given medals, as were Thomas Edison, Jonas Salk and Mother Teresa. So were John Wayne, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, along with athletes Jesse Owens, Roberto Clemente and Joe Louis.
The qualifications demand an “achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field.” But the selection process is arbitrary, and the most important factor is whether the sponsor can persuade two-thirds of the Senate — 67 votes — and the House of Representatives — 290 votes — to go along.
Mr. Bunning proposed the award for Mr. Ali in late February and so far has only four supporters: Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio; Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.
“The initial reaction was negative but it is becoming more positive,” said Mr. Bunning, who will make a more determined pitch for Mr. Ali this summer.
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