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I generally don’t like quotes that come across as too self-righteous. This is an exception because I think there’s more nuance to the quote than first appears, and because Muhammad Ali, whom I knew personally for many decades, was one of the most humble men I’ve ever

The Cleveland Summit and Muhammad Ali: The true story
By: Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Muhammad Ali was a fighter in and out of the ring. During the Vietnam War, he refused the draft even though he was promised he would be safe from any combat. The U.S. wanted a prominent Black athlete to give his stamp of approval to a war that many thought was racist because of who we were fighting and why, and because of the push to recruit young Black men to fight. He refused to be that poster boy. His stance cost him his career even though he was later vindicated by the U.S. Supreme Court in an 8-0 vote. That’s how he lived his whole life: Ignoring personal consequences to help others. He inspired millions across the world. I was one of those millions.

So many martyrs have sacrificed so much to nudge the needle of justice a degree ahead. It’s certainly admirable to volunteer at various charities or service organizations. But “service to others” isn’t always about the big gestures. For various legitimate reasons, not everyone can commit to that level of physical or financial service. That doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to express that desire to serve.

The spirit of Ali’s quote is what’s important. Each person has to recognize they owe something to the community, whether that community is local, national, or even international. And that they need to sometimes do something to express that commitment, even if it’s inconvenient. That service can be as big as taking to the streets to protest or as small as occasionally looking in on an elderly neighbor to make sure they’re okay or having a lengthy and boring conversation with someone just because they need to talk because they’re lonely.

Social media has turned many people into thirsty faux celebrities needing a grand gesture to publicize their identities. Engagements need to be choreographed, filmed, and put on YouTube. We’re not really cleaning debris from a beach for the sake of the environment but for a photo opportunity for Instagram. Yet, there are thousands of people who quietly, without acknowledgment, spend a day off, or even an hour off, doing something necessary for others. The small, intimate gesture is as valuable to the community as the big, grand gesture, for both are about improving humanity. As poet John Donne said, we are all “a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” Any act that lifts one of us, lifts us all.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Substack

Comment by Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص on March 22, 2024 at 3:51pm: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sold his 4 championship rings, 3 MVP Trophies and other memorabilia for 2.8 million dollars with the proceeds going to a youth education program.

The NBA hall of famer said, “when it comes to choosing between storing a championship ring or trophy in a room, or providing kids with an opportunity to change their lives, the choice is pretty simple: Sell it all.”

Comment by Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص on March 22, 2024 at 3:52pm: Kofi Bilal Mahmud Eid AlFitr 1443 A.H.

http://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profiles/blogs/6273430:B...

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