462
RICHARD POIRIER
convictions and whose declaration against a shameful imperialistic ad–
venture shows an intelligence far superior, despite the kind of educa–
tion given Kentucky Negroes, to the saphead sports columnists who call
him a dolt, a fake and a coward. "I'm not going ten thousand miles
fr.om here to help murder and kill and burn another poor people simply
to help continue the domination of white slave masters over the darker
people the world over." He has made an immense sacrifice of fortune
which the promoters are delighted to exploit in a farcical elimination
tournament for a new heavyweight champion that nobody in his right
mind will recognize, and he is being exploited for still other purposes
by the Black Muslims. The press has mostly ignored the first exploita–
tion and everywhere points to the second. But Clay has chosen to do
what many young Americans could more easily afford to do in a country
where everyone is exploited for some purpose or other: he has at least
chosen who may exploit him. He would rather be "used" by his religion
than
by
the present Secretary of State.
Broadway and 88th
Str,eet
TR 4-9189
