Muhammad Ali Jr. detained by immigration officials at Fla. airport

Muhammad Ali Jr., the son of one of the greatest American athletes ever– and an unequalled international good will ambassador, winner of the Presidential Freedom Award —- was “suspicious” to our immigration officials a couple of month back because of his name.  (Sounded very foreign?) So he was detained until he could prove his good intentions.

Muhammad Ali, winner of Presidential Freedom Award

Like the trade war, if other countries  retaliated by detaining new arrivals simply because of their name, then all the guys named Christian, or Paul or Peter, and all the women named Mary, or Sarah or  Ruth better be prepared to show their bona fides.

I wonder how people named Gandhi and Buddha and Brahmin and Martin Luther are being treated?

We’re a world family. We need to outgrow our  tribal  prejudices.

Here’s the original AP article:

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The son of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali was detained for hours by immigration officials earlier this month at a Florida airport, according to a family friend. Muhammad Ali Jr., 44, and his mother, Khalilah Camacho-Ali, the first wife of Muhammad Ali, were arriving at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Feb. 7 after returning from speaking at a Black History Month event in Montego Bay, Jamaica. They were pulled aside while going through customs because of their Arabic-sounding names, according to family friend and lawyer Chris Mancini.

Source: Muhammad Ali Jr. detained by immigration officials at Fla. airport

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