"Politics has come to be considered not only inappropriate in the sports arena, but actually antithetical to it," says Zirin. "We want so much to see sport solely as a gaming arena, not as seriousness. But here's the thing, this can diminish not only the greatness and importance of sport for us as a society, but also the courage of the athletes". The pursuit of fame, wealth and status can blind the human conscience, which is why it is important for us to encourage athletes to express their opinions. As a nation, we should not silence our athletes, because they are the truly courageous athletes who have the audacity to stand up when it is socially unacceptable. Sports should be used as a platform for a certain type of politics such as militarism, nationalism and human rights. Some athletes stand out as political stalwarts of their time who were not afraid to express their opinions: Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson and Billie-Jean King. There is a rich tradition of resistance to politics in sports, but their actions have been integral to the country's fight for racial and gender equality; sport is a safe place to discuss these difficult topics and is therefore essential. Muhammad Ali is an example of an athlete who expressed his political ideologies in sports to support the civil rights movement and protest war. As an Olympic gold medalist, heavyweight title and many other victories, he used fame to project his humanitarian efforts. Ali refused to serve in Vietnam because of his religion and was consequently stripped of his title in 1967. He retired in 1981 with an incredible 59 victories and five defeats, but will always be known as a symbol of courage, strength of will and strength, not for his career accomplishments, but for breaking the racial... middle of paper... ...at the Museum of American History. March 26, 2012. .Wenn, Stephen. "A Tale of Two Diplomats: George Messersmith and Charles H. Sherrill on the Proposed American Participation in the 1936 Olympics." Journal of Sport History 16 (1989): 27-43.Whitaker, Matthew C.. African American Sports Icons: Triumph, Courage, and Excellence. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2008. Winslow, Barbara. “The Historians' Perspective on Title IX.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. March 25, 2012. .Stergios, Jim and Joshua Archambault. "Mixing sport with politics". The Washington Times. March 26, 2012. .Zelizer, Julian E. “Sports and Political Oversight Mix.” CNN. March 26. 2012. .