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New York Times. 23 December 2001. Ali Joins Hollywood's Corner to Explain War to Muslims. Edited. Hollywood, in search of a pitchman to explain America and its war to the Muslim world, has recruited Muhammad Ali. The writers, producers and studio executives who have formed their own campaign to bolster America's image abroad believe that Mr. Ali will have special credibility with an audience believed to be deeply suspicious of the United States. In the 1960's, he rattled American conventions by converting to Islam, then defied the American government by refusing to serve when drafted, an act that cost him his world heavyweight title. "Here is a guy who was wrung dry when he refused to serve. He has since undergone a glorious redemption and therefore he's credible," said Jack Valenti, president of the the Motion Picture Association of America, which is overseeing what is loosely called Hollywood 9/11, the entertainment industry group that is contributing to the war effort. Mr. Valenti has said, and several Hollywood executives confirmed, that Mr. Ali has tentatively agreed to do a one-minute public service announcement designed for broadcast in several translations over networks like Al Jazeera, the Middle East Broadcasting Centre transmitted to the region from London and the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation in Beirut. Although Hollywood 9/11 wants to avoid being seen as a government propaganda arm, the announcement's themes parallel some of the administration's. "Ali will hopefully be able to convey the idea that Muslims in America lead a free life, practice their religion in a form in which they choose to practice it," Mr. Valenti said. The second point: "It's not a war against Islam. It's a war against murderers who kill innocent people." The public service announcement would be the first product for overseas consumption to come from Hollywood 9/11. The group was formed after industry executives met Nov. 11 with Karl Rove, senior advisor to President Bush, to discuss lending an independent hand to the war effort. Several committee members said they first thought of Mr. Ali because they found his appearance at the Sept. 21 telethon to raise money for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and their families so powerful. "He is quite recognizable as a good symbol for someone who is Muslim and made it," said Dr. Abdel Moneim Said, director of the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo and host of an Egyptian public affairs television program, "Behind The Events." "He was a fighter against the Vietnam war and he refused conscription, so he is a guy with a stand." Mr. Ali has also become an endorser for Coke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
