On the 28th of April 1967, Muhammad Ali, the reigning heavyweight champion of the world, in an act of defiance towards the American government, refused induction into the United States military on the grounds that he was a conscientious objector. Ali’s conscience reason was that it would go against the teachings of his religion Islam. He believed he should be exempt from participation in the Vietnam War because it went against his religion to do so. Islam is a religion of peace however it is permitted in self-defence in defence of Islam. Public opinion on whether Ali was legitimately against the war or just trying to dodge the draft was split. However it would be up to the American government to decide his faith. The 28th of April was the day
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Eventually after four years his case -Clay, (aka Ali) v. United States (1971) reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Ali’s Supreme Court case was widely covered by the media. After more than 35 interviews with Ali’s family, friends, neighbours, business and religious associates the court overturned his conviction. Their decision was based on the fact that the appeal board had failed to properly identify a reason to deny Ali’s petition to be a conscientious objector and therefore it was impossible to see why Ali shouldn’t be allowed to be a conscientious objector. The three grounds to apply to be a conscientious objector are 1) an applicant’s objection must be against participating in war in any form, not just a particular war 2) the applicant must show that this opposition is based upon religious training and belief, and 3) the applicant must show that this objection is sincere. (Source 3). Ali was now free to fight again although Nixon and other government officials wanted to sentence Ali to prison as he was seen as a threat. However the Supreme Court took a more realistically view as they knew that Ali was one of the biggest heroes of the anti-war movement and a man who had a global following and that unfairly convicting him without evidence of not being a conscientious objector would have caused
Eventually after four years his case -Clay, (aka Ali) v. United States (1971) reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Ali’s Supreme Court case was widely covered by the media. After more than 35 interviews with Ali’s family, friends, neighbours, business and religious associates the court overturned his conviction. Their decision was based on the fact that the appeal board had failed to properly identify a reason to deny Ali’s petition to be a conscientious objector and therefore it was impossible to see why Ali shouldn’t be allowed to be a conscientious objector. The three grounds to apply to be a conscientious objector are 1) an applicant’s objection must be against participating in war in any form, not just a particular war 2) the applicant must show that this opposition is based upon religious training and belief, and 3) the applicant must show that this objection is sincere. (Source 3). Ali was now free to fight again although Nixon and other government officials wanted to sentence Ali to prison as he was seen as a threat. However the Supreme Court took a more realistically view as they knew that Ali was one of the biggest heroes of the anti-war movement and a man who had a global following and that unfairly convicting him without evidence of not being a conscientious objector would have caused