The fruit that fell from Muhammad's tree

I read an article about Laila Ali and her reticence to speak boldly on the issue of Black Lives. Wow! When they say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, they clearly aren't talking about Laila.

In an interview described in the Huffington Post, Ali offered these thoughts, “By me not posting, it doesn’t mean that black lives don’t matter,” she said. “To me, it’s obvious that black lives matter. And then... I’m like, what is posting going to do? What is speaking out going to do?” Well, just wow. 

Laila may have been one of the apples of Muhammad's eyes, but this apple seems to have fallen and rolled a long, long way away from Muhammad's tree and that's a damn shame. 

I'm wondering how Laila reconciles her choice to be silent in the face of oppression with her father's own very voluble, very public, very risky activism. For him, silence would brand him as complicit. For him, silence was therefore not an option. The principles that guided him were simple: I will not fight poor people over there (Vietnam) who are likely fighting for the very things poor people, my people, desperately want right here. Did he not teach this to his children? 

Following Ms. Ali's logic, what's protesting gonna do? What's acting out gonna do? What's taking a knee gonna do? What is standing as a conscientious objector going to do? Do we only 'do' because we are assured of the effect of the doing? I'm pretty sure that's not what the GOAT was doing when he was objecting to the Vietnam War. I'm pretty sure because that's not how activism works and activists know this. Surely her father would have taught her that? And even if he didn't tell her explicitly, he sure showed her....with his life!

2) Laila ain't even conflicted: it's about the Benjamins 

"With sponsors and millions of Facebook fans, Ali said she has to be careful when posting content online because of her diverse following. “I don’t ever like to make people feel separate,” she said. It’s for this reason that she says she appreciates all aspects of diversity and inclusion."

Girl please! How careful was your father when he lost some of the best years of his boxing life to a ban? Huh? Careful? This is what you are telling your millions of fans? "Be careful! Mind them Benjamins! Principles don't matter!" Girl bye!

Laila says she doesn't want folk to feel separate, but she don't mind at all if they wind up dead? Girl, this would be laughable if it weren't so damn pitiful. Pi-ti-ful! I am full of pity. Full right up. Pity and shame. 

Later in the interview she mused, “Yes, black lives matter. Yes, White lives matter, Asian lives matter. All lives matter,” she said. “And that’s kind of what my focus is. But it’s hard because, you know, you’ve got sponsors and you’ve got this and you’ve got that. And you don’t want to step on anybody’s toes. And you’re trying to be politically correct, but at the same time trying to uplift your people.” 

Here's a word for you Laila: you cannot uplift and be politically correct simultaneously. Not in this moment in time, perhaps not ever. To uplift you have to challenge a status quo that has no problem leaving you gut shot, rendering no medical aid and trying to synchronize stories so nobody goes to jail...all while you bleed to death. To uplift you have to offer words of comfort or wisdom. You cannot uplift by keeping silence! You uplifting folk with what? Pictures of your kids whose futures are (you believe) safe and secure? Honey, ain't no number of Benjys can wash the Black away. You oughta know this. If you don't, I just told you. Govern yourself accordingly.

3) Platitudes don't keep anybody alive, not even platitudes from an Ali

"Using her children as a metaphor, Ali explained that it’s important to understand the impact and change people can have within their own homes."

Oh ok. You about to redeem yourself! Yeah girl, show me some of that Ali stuff! C'mon now! I see where you're going with this Laila, and I'ma let you finish but lemme butt in here to say that I really appreciate your suggesting that White folk need to teach their children the basics of MLK's dream: that they should judge others by the content of their character not by the color of their skin. Right? That's where you're going with that? Amirite? I'm right! I know I am.....

“I would think about what can I do as a family to take responsibility for our actions,” she said. “So, I think as black people, we have to do the things that we can do to make a change within our own community within ourselves first and then let the trickle effect happen.” 

That is so not where I thought this was going! Did Laila Ali, daughter of the GOAT Muhammad I-will-not-go-to-war-even-if-you-ban-me Ali really just respectability police Black folk? Fuh real? Laila, daughter of Muhammad, Ali just told Black people that if they would just act right; if they would just raise their kids right; if they would something they would not die.

And then Laila Ali called for trickle down humanity? I can't even with this.

#TerenceCrutcher

#PhilandoCastile
Tried to comply and died.

#TamirRice

#JohnCrawfordIII
They didn't get time to comply. They died too.

Laila Ali isn't even an apple from Muhammad's tree. She is a whole other fruit. Banana? Peach? Pineapple? Whatever. I feel like I need to like her on FB so I can have the satisfaction of clicking unlike. 

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