Rusty Rubin, Managing Editor
www.ringsports.com

Recently Charles Jay who operates the website Totalaction.com published a series of articles being critical of Greg Sirb, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission for starting a fund to help boxers in need. In those articles Jay correctly states that no 501C3 non-profit status has been filed. Mr. Jay is correct, but the 501C3 doesn’t legally have to be filed until a certain amount of donations have been reached.

In speaking to the funds biggest contributor, promoter Lou Dibella, who I know is sincere about caring for others, Lou tells me that he trusts Sirb, and he doesn’t care if the fund is non-profit or not, he knows his $5,000 gift will go to help those in need, and he trusts Greg completely.

I spoke to Greg Sirb and he promised me a response in writing to the accusations, in writing, when I told him that I wanted to show both sides of the story before I printed any of it.

And I expect to speal to Mike Acri, a well known East Coast promoter whom I have known for some time, who has also been mentioned by Jay.

We won’t take sides here. As someone who has recently been frustrated by the lack of response for a fund raising cruise for Greg Page and Gerald McClellan, I cannot in good faith, find any fault in someone going out of his way to help others in greater need, which is what seems to be the only thing I can find here, up till now.

I’m sure that Mr. Jay means well in calling these items to our attention, and maybe he’s coming from a different place then I am, and does have good intentions, and does a fine job in keeping the boxing public informed. I just like to have our readers know both sides of an important issue before I print any press releases. They can draw their own conclusions.

As all my readers know, I never delve into politics. Well, almost never.

Glove2Glove:

Please say a prayer for the return to health of boxing promoter Moe Smith, who had a four by-pass surgery on Thursday. Moe has done much for our sport. Cards can be sent to Moe at: 2713 E. 1st St., Post Falls, ID. 82854.

Please say prayers for former top-notch fighter Art Soto, who is having some severe health problems.

Your prayers have worked and Martin Sommers is no longer in Hospice care, and in fact, is at home recovering. He and his family pass along their heartfelt thanks, and ask that your prayers continue.

Also down but not out with cancer is Kathy Cerola, sister of top referee Elmo Adolph, and my best friend and co-founder of Glove2Glove, Susiey Walker.
Needless to say we need prayers for the return to health of both former champs Greg Page and Gerald McClellan, both confined to wheelchairs.

Glove2Glove is a non-denomination group set up to aide those boxing folks and their relatives in need of prayers and cards. We accept no money and only contact our members when someone is in need. It’s free to join. Simply send us your e-mail address. And even if you’re not a member, feel free to contact us if you are aware of some boxing person in need.

Touching on politics briefly: A new book is on the market which states that Bill Clinton, when President had a couple of opportunities to catch Usama Bin Laden.

That may be true, and it may be true that President Bush also had a chance to after the World Trade Center bombing.

The point is who cares, it’s history. The knowledge of who did what to whom, and when, isn’t going to make us one degree safer. It doesn’t matter who screwed up, it’s a done deal. And we remain threatened by another attack by cold blooded killers.

It seems that some writers are now trying their hands at becoming politicians by giving us excuses or reasons for the problem, but not dealing with the underlying issue, and that’s the solution to the problem.

I’m certainly not critical of the author or the subject matter itself, because it’s interesting. But the fact is that even if Bin Laden was disposed of prior to 9/11, is that a guarantee that the disaster would not have occurred? There are plenty of scumbags out there who have nothing better to do with their time then to preach a false religion and make life for everyone around them difficult. Usama is not the only one! Not that I wouldn’t like to see his ugly head on a fence post.

I’m not defending Clinton, but I’m not blaming him either. Hindsight is always 20-20.

Now we are finding out that our President had approved plans to invade Iraq long before he went before Congress, with what I assume he believed was truthful statements. No surprise, ‘W’ wanted to avenge the plot by Sadaam to assassinate his father.

Never mind the real threat of North Korea and Iran getting nuclear weapons, which should have been our target instead of Hussein. Some of the President’s advisors seem to have their own personnel agenda.

But in fairness, there is one less cold blooded dictator in charge in the world, and that means less killing and torture of innocents, and that’s a good thing.

Taking this a step further, if President Bush hadn’t given out money to his wealthy friends via an ill-advised tax cut, we’d be in a better position today. Current projections are that we will run out of money for funding our troops in Iraq by March of 2004. In fact we are looking at the biggest budget deficit in the history of the US.

Anyone running a business like the powers that be do in Washington, would have had to claim bankruptcy a long time ago.

The point is that his advisors had given the President false information as to how long it would take and how much it would cost, and now we have to go on hands and knees to the UN to bail us out. And in the meantime, Al Qaeda and the Taliban are regrouping and planning another attack on the US, and in my view, are responsible for most of the killings in Iraq. They do what terrorists do best, terrorize!

If George Bush is successful in his run for a second term as President, I’d hope he would get rid of some of his advisors, who have embarrassed him, and get rid of Dick Cheney, who has proved that he cares more about making money for his interests like Halliburton, then he does about his job.

I’m not picking on Bush, Clinton or anyone else. I’m not looking to find blame. I’m simply pointing out the problems, and what caused them, and that the key is we desperately need a workable solution, not to rehash the cause.

Boxing feedback:

It seems the feedback section has opened up a can of worms, which in truth is good. How can we ever achieve world peace if we don’t take the time to understand heach other? I believe that, the only way world peace can be achieved is through communication. And this is the only website that combines boxing and politics, which, if you think about it, is a most natural combination.

A gentleman in Australia seemed to take exception for my commenting on Anthony Mundine in my last article. He implied that Mundine never uttered his infamous words, and that I should stick to boxing. And that the world knows Mundine was correct, which is an odd statement since he originally stated that Mundine never made the statement. He also gave me the impression that he agreed with Mundine, and he feels that’s why the world hates us.

First, Mr. Mundine started this, not Ringsports.com, and he did not stick to boxing, as he should have. Secondly, anyone who thinks he didn’t say that “America deserved 9/11” either hasn’t learned to read or listen, or both Even Mundine, to his credit, apologized for the uncalled for remark.

This gentlemen in response to my reply to him, still insists the words were not said, but he is correct is stating that “this is history”.

I appreciate any feedback to by editorials, but in order to print this response, I’d have to mention names, and that might be an embarrassment to the gentlemen who wrote in, and I do appreciate all feedback. In fact I welcome it. Communication is now and has always been the key to understanding.

As I have no desire to embarrass anyone, this gentlemans name will remain anonymous. And I won’t disagree that much of the world hates us, although the vast majority of people in America want nothing more then to live in peace.

Those who left their homes, with or without wife and children, on 9/11, did nothing worse then try to earn a living, and we’re murdered for it. Some of these folks were. in fact, innocent Muslims. Does anyone besides me see something wrong with this picture? Muslims are not supposed to kill others, let alone other Muslims.

I don’t know if the person who wrote the e-mail, but I do thank him for writing, and I suggest this gentlemen check all the out the facts. That way I can print his intelligent response, if he has one to offer at that time. Hatred does nothing more then further our differences, and I want to work to bring us all together.

I intend to print intelligent, well thought out responses, so everyone can use this forum to learn about others and the way they think. Perhaps this idea takes more guts then getting in the ring, one on one, but I’m too damn old and stupid to know the meaning of fear.

I do know this, there is no rationale for killing innocent people, in America or anywhere in the world. Murder is murder!

Agree or disagree, I’d like to hear from you.

Political feedback:

In response to Ralph Martinez of NYC’s letter to Salim Valli of the UK, Mr. Valli responds.

“I read Mr. Martinez comments to my ideas with great interest and may I add sadness. It seems to me that whenever anyone dispassionately and objectively tries to criticize the working of the US Government from another country, they are by implication branded “American haters” or to but it in Bushian language, “Agin us”.

May I assume Mr. Martinez that in my case at least, nothing can be further from the truth. In fact I have great sympathy for the American people, who I believe are largely kept criminally unaware of what is perpetrated in their name.

He points out that most, if not all Muslim countries are either corrupt monarchies (Saudi Arabia) a monarchy incidentally maintained in power by US military aid, a terror-harboring oligarchy (Iran), but I would like to know where Mr. Martinez’ proof of this is.

And who can blame the Iranian people for wanting any government in place of the corrupt regime of the late Shah, maintained by the way by the CIA, or a ruthless dictatorship (Libya, Iraq, etc) here I must partly bow to Mr. Martinez’s superior knowledge, as knowing little about Libya, I would not presume to comment, though oddly enough, it is widely recognized that the Baath Party in Iraq were initially supported by the American Government as a counterbalance to the Islamic Government of Iraq.

The unspoken inference in commenting on the ‘undemocratic’ nature of these countries is that by contrast, America is the great bastion of democracy in the world recognized, look at how the rest of the world sees this great democracy.

What is sees of course is a country with a president in power, voted for by less than 24% of the population.

A country where the vast amount of the nations wealth is in the hands of 1% of the population, and where any born citizen can run for President, as long as they can persuade big business to pay the election cost (an estimated $3 billion in the case of Bush – Gore) and where human nature, being what it is, expects something in return.

It sees a country under who’s Constitution (article 1, section 9) all government agencies are required to submit their budgets at regular intervals to Congress for review ( strange, neither the CIA or DIA does this).

It sees a country where any man can aspire to join that glorious 1% of the wealthy without the aid of birth and privilege, bus also, should he fail, join the large underbelly of American society, unencumbered by decent health services or decent education.

It is true that Democracy at its birth, in the City State of Athens, was run on a slave economy. That being said, I feel those same Athenians, looking at the US today, would have difficulty recognizing what form this government was.

Mr Martinez then challenges me to disagree with Anthony Mundines statement that the US brought 9/11 on itself. I wholeheartedly do disagree that the American people brought this tragedy on themselves, but, I must tell him that the US Government, in my opinion, must shoulder a great deal of responsibility.

Judging by his name and the fact that he states he is an immigrant, I am assuming Mr. Martinez is from South America. May I therefore, by way of explanation, remind him of a little South American history.

In 1954, Guatemala had a new government headed by the democratically elected Pres. Arbenz, who was considered by most countries of the world to be a mild socialist. Sadly this country had little income (biggest industry United Fruit Co. of America) and so the government put a tax on bananas . Henry Cabot Lodge then stood up in the US Senate and said the Communists have taken over Guatemala and “we must act!” Eisenhower then sent the CIA and the government was overthrown, being replaced by a military dictator, and there’s been nothing but bloodshed there since.

Forgive me for saying this, but if I were a Guatemalan and I had the means to drop something or somebody on Washington, or anywhere Americans were, I would be tempted to do it. Especially if I had lost my entire family and seen my country blown to bits because United Fruit didn’t want to pay taxes. Now that’s the way America is seen to operate and that’s why it has become to be so hated.

As to the matter of whether I agree to the stoning of women in Nigeria, all I can say to Mr. Martinez, is that this is a complex religious matter and not a political one. As a Muslim I do not believe Christ to be the son of God, but I do not interfere with a Christians right to do so.

Mr. Martinez seems to think that we are back in the time of the Crusades and the argument comes down to a conflict between Muslims (the baddies) and Christians, (the goodies).

I should tentatively like to assert that the main player in this conflict is corporate America, and that it is an entity the recognizes neither good nor evil, only the profit margin.

This is no means a letter against you or any American. It is a point of view held by many Europeans, and I hope it answers a lot of questions when you ask why America is hated around the world.”

Kind regards, Salim Valli, UK.

Comments: Write to us at rngsprts@cs.com