In 1967, a man considered "the greatest" in boxing was inducted into the military. The Vietnam War had begun and the Selective Service Act was now recruiting soldiers for battle. However, Muhammad Ali refused to serve, saying his religious beliefs forbade him to fight. To some it may seem that Ali was doing no wrong by standing up for his beliefs. I on the other hand, feel that Ali was dodging the draft intentionally. By following a "higher law" of conscience he would be able to succeed in this task. Ali had the title of "heavyweight champion" and would do anything to retain that. A man, who was a dominant figure during the 1960s, thought he would have no trouble at all evading the draft amongst the rioting and protest in America. Ali, known for showing his courageous strength in the violent sport of boxing successfully evaded the draft. His avoidance of war insinuates war as being immoral and more brutal than in his career as a boxer. No longer, the greatest boxer of all time, Ali stood as a coward, not willing to fight for his own country.
             After Muhammad Ali became heavyweight champion, Ali decided to change his religion to Islam. Elijah Mohammed, the founder of the Nation of Islam, changed his birth name Cassius Clay to the Muslim name "Muhammad Ali" ("Infoplease.com"). As a Black Muslim, Ali now felt he would not participate in the killing in Vietnam. The ideals that America holds so dearly today, freedom, unity, and bravery all came at a cost. A cost, that was paid with the blood of hundreds of thousands American soldiers, fighting for one cause, so that America would live on. As citizens of the United States, it is our responsibility and duty, to ensure that the values our forefathers established remain intact within our nation. The Constitution of the United States, states that, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, es...