[cheers and applause ] tell the next president of the United States that she shall seek a constitutional amendment to make all national and state elections funded by congress and the state legislatures and all other sources of money be banned, including money from corporations from individuals, all other money, make it all public funding. [ applause ] tell her that the way to achieve Homeland Security is not for us to try new ways of domination, the strategy of domination of the world of the other to get security has been tried for the past 10,000 years and it doesnt work. The way to get security is for the United States to become known as the most generous and caring country in the world, not the most powerful. [ applause ] we can start with a global and domestic plan to once and for all end homelessness, hunger, Inadequate Health care. So i want to as the interfaith spiritual progressives spiritualprogressives. Org, come join us. As well as the people of all faiths and secular humanists as well, we wish to pay honor to muslims of the world as they continue today to fast ramadan and join with them in mourning the loss and celebrating the life of muhammad ali, a great fighter for justice and peace, peace be upon him, peace be upon the prophet mohammed and all of humanity and all of us, amen. [ applause ] Ali Ali Ali Ali time, time, time is not on our side. After that speech, i have to edit my initial remarks, honorable first man william j. Clinton. Chief sidney hill in 2002 was selected as principal spiritual leader of its people and beloved to all who know him, a leader whose spirituality is coupled with a passionate pursuit of justice. We are honored that he has come here today to share a few words and a few thoughts with us. Chief hill. [ applause ] [ speaking in Foreign Language ] [ speaking in Foreign Language ] [ speaking in Foreign Language ] [ speaking in Foreign Language ] [ applause ] this is United Nation translation, he said, my relatives, it is my responsibility to pick up the words for the people of the longhouse. They wish you well. They want you to be at peace of mind. Now theres great darkness that has happened to us. You must understand that you have gathered us here, that his road is straight. Please believe he will arrive at his land, our creator. It is the same as you call him allah. These were the words and to the family, your relatives and friends of muhammad ali, muhammad ali was a leader among men and the champion of the people. [ applause ] he fought for the people of color and a man of compassion who used his great gifts for the common good. His spirit has a clear path to the creator. For sidney hill, spiritual leader, Six Nation Confederation and myself faithkeeper council of chief have journeyed here today to add our voice to this congregation of World Leaders in honor of his work and for the rights and dignity of people of color and the common men. [ applause ] he was always in support of the Indigenous People of this hemisphere and our request for our inherent land rights, selfdetermination, identity and collective rights that include the natural world. We know we know what he was up against. Because weve had 524 years of Survival Training ourselves. [ applause ] in 1978, a congressman from the state of washington put a bill into congress to terminate our treaties with the United States. And indian nations walked from california to washington, d. C. , in protest. Muhammad ali marched into washington, d. C. , with us. [ applause ] he was a free, independent spirit. He stood his ground with great courage and conviction. And he paid a price. And this country did, too. And we all did. Values and principles will determine ones destiny. And the principles of the nation will do the same. Poor people do not have many options. You fighters know what im talking about. He said that the ring was alis path to his destiny. He said hed be heavyweight champion of the world, and he was three times. This is the fourth time right here, right now. [ applause ] on his journey in life, he lived and learned the hard way. He brought a light into this world. My world. Our world. And that light will shine a long, long time. [ applause ] peace, brother. Peace. And on behalf of my friend ernie and the Indigenous People everywhere, peace. Thank you. [ applause ] a quick break and were back with our live coverage. Lets celebrate these moments. This woman. This cancer patient. Christine. Living her life. Loving her family. Moments made possible in part by the breakthrough science of advanced genomic testing. After christine exhausted the standard Treatment Options for her disease, doctors working with the center for advanced individual medicine at Cancer Treatment centers of america suggested advanced genomic testing. The test results revealed a finding that led to the use of a targeted therapy that was not considered for christine before. Now, theyre helping fight her cancer on another, deeper level. The genetic level. This is precision Cancer Treatment, an approach to care that may help patients like christine enjoy the things that matter most in their lives while undergoing treatment. The evolution of cancer care is here. Thats definitely something worth celebrating. Learn more about precision Cancer Treatment at cancercenter. Com. Appointments are available now. From joy to gratitude and pain to compassion, from grief to understanding. Im don lemon and this is live coverage. Rabbi joe rapport is speaking in louisville now. In having made the journey stage by stage, a sacred pilgrimage. Birth is the beginning and death, a destination. And life is a journey, the sacred pilgrimage to life everlasting. We say words of prayer and they remain words until we encounter a person who embodies these words and makes them real. Ive said these words many times before, at funerals and at memorial services. But never have i felt them come to life and speak of a single, shining soul as i do today. Muhammad ali was the heart of this city. The living, breathing embodiment of the greatest that we can be. He was our heart. And that heart beats here still. [ applause ] let me tell you a story you already know. Its one of those stories about ali being gracious to a stranger that so many of us have told so many times and in so many ways that we sometimes forget the lessons that these stories were intended to teach us. Its a story hanna tells about her father towards the end of her book, the soul of a butterfly. Hanna is driving her father to a bookstore on one sunday to pick up bibles and korans for a project that hes working on. They pass an elderly man standing by the road with a bible in one hand and his thumb in the air with another. They offer him a ride. And he thanks them, saying that hes on his way home from church, he only needs to go a few miles down the street where he can pick up a cow. Hanna asked where he lives. He doesnt want to trouble him or go out of their way. He has no idea who is sitting in the front seat of this car. Until muhammad ali turns around and says, its no trouble at all. Were just on our way to a bookstore to buy some bibles and korans. Once the man gets over meeting the greatest of all time, he insists that he has three bibles in his house and hed be pleased to give them to ali in appreciation for the ride. Ali thanks him but says he wants to pay for the bibles. The man says, no, the bibles were meant as a gift. Ali asked him what he does for a living and it turns out that the man had a stroke and hes been forced into retirement. Ali then tries to hand him a big pile of money for the bibles. But the man refuses and this is where things get interesting. Ali says, take the money, man, im trying to get into heaven. And the man replies, so am i. Ali is not taking no for an answer. He says, if you dont take the money, i might not get in. And the man replies, if i do take your money, i might not get in. They arrive at his home and the man invites him in to meet his wife of 30 years. He gives ali the bibles. Ali slips the money under a napkin on the kitchen table. They are about to leave and hana gives the man her phone number and tells him to call him to call her if he ever needs a ride home from church again. Sitting in the car, ali turns to his daughter and asks, would you really go out of your way and pick him up, drive him all the way home . And she says yes. And with tears in his eyes, he says, thats me in you. [ applause ] he says, youre on the road to heaven. Therein lies alis greatness. His ability to see something greater and his ability to inspire someone to see such greatness reside within themselves. There will never be another greatest like muhammad ali. But we together can now embody a measure of his kindness and his compassion. We can say each of us in our hearts theres a little bit of ali in me. This week, we have mourned the loss and celebrated the life of a louisville legend and a citizen of the world. And of all the words and in all of the ways, the most powerful moments have always been made in the voices of young people repeated in Prayer Services and chanted in the streets, i am ali. I am ali. I am not the fighter that ali was. And i may not have the courage and i am definitely not as pretty. But in my heart and in my hope and in my prayers, i am muhammad ali. [ applause ] when we say that in our hearts, when we live that in our lives, then we together can build a legacy worthy of the greatest of all time. So say that now with me in your heart and in this room, i am ali. [ applause ] a break and then more live coverage. Its red lobsters new lobster and shrimp summerfest with the lobster and shrimp. You love in so many new dishes, youre gonna wanna try. Every last one. Like the new coastal lobster shrimp. With a woodgrilled lobster tail,. Wildcaught red shrimp crusted with panko,. And shrimp fresh off the grill and brushed with. Summer ale bbq sauce. Or try the new lobster shrimp overboard,. Because when a dish can wow you like this,. Overboards the only way to describe it. But hurry, this ends soon. In new york state, we believe tomorrow starts today. All across the state, the economy is growing, with creative new business incentives, the lowest taxes in decades, and new infrastructure for a new generation attracting the talent and companies of tomorrow. Like in rochester, with worldclass botox. And in buffalo, where medicine meets the future. Let us help grow your companys tomorrow today at business. Ny. Gov back now to our live coverage from louisville. Billy crystal, the former president bill clinton and the family speaking soon. Were back after a break. Wrely on the Us Postal Service . Because when they ship with us, their business becomes our business. Thats why we make more ecommerce deliveries to homes than anyone else in the country. Here, there, everywhere. United states Postal Service priority you but ive managed. E Crohns Disease is tough, except that managing my symptoms was all i was doing. And when i finally told my doctor, he said humira is for adults like me who have tried other medications but still experience the symptoms of moderate to severe Crohns Disease. And that in clinical studies, the majority of patients on humira saw significant symptom relief. And many achieved remission. Humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. Before treatment, get tested for tb. Tell your doctor if youve been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if youve had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flulike symptoms or sores. Dont start humira if you have an infection. Ask your gastroenterologist about humira. With humira, remission is possible. Were back now with our live coverage and were awaiting billy crystal, the former president and family members to speak soon. We will read and share and inspire us. [ applause ] assalamu alaikum. May peace be upon us. As this is a peace going home celebration i find myself with a celebration and depletion, of loss, that somehow or another my breathing capacity has been weakened this past week so i ask all of you gathered and affair to please muster up and transmit a bit of your air to me in the memory of muhammad ali, thank you all. [ speaking in Foreign Language ] and more as the globe centers at this very moment amidst the holy month of ramadan where every two hours theres a time zone praying, including muhammad ali and his family in your thoughts. Amidst that are the prayers of all faiths, all those touched, even those that dont claim a religion are feeling something right now in honor of the family and the memory of their father, husband. In the spirit of my parents, malcolm x, dr. Shabazz, in the presence of my five younger sisters, our children and our grandchildren i would like to first honor his beloved wife, my sister, lonnie ali. [ applause ] for all the strengths that you know and that resonate beyond. Sometimes you do need a little help no matter how magnificent you are and indeed those that were with him, that loved him, his family members sustain that. His nine children, and i will name them, maryam, rasheda, muhammad jr. , hana, laila, asaad, miya, khaliah and the grandchildren who accompany them. [ applause ] to his only brother, to his extraordinary example of a best friend, Howard Bingham and to his sisterinlaw marilyn. For all the grief that i am depleted by and others are feeling by his transition, there is none comparable to yours and i know that. On this day and those to come, as you live your waking days with a life without him here presently, very different. Photos, memories, all the things that we have on him that keep him going. He touched you differently and that has to be honored and recognized, never forsaken. [ applause ] just know that when you are the descendent of and in the presence of someone whose life was filled with principle, that the seed is in you so that you have to cultivate that responsibly as well. [ applause ] this moment is very meaningful for me to have been amongst those chosen and blessed by muhammad himself and affirmed by his wife lonnie to take part by sharing a statement during this homegoing ceremony. While he and i had a treasured relationship, the genesis of his love was through my father. Muhammad ali was the last of a fraternity of amazing men bequethed to me directly by my dad. Somewhere around me turning 18, 19, 20, they all seemed to find me somehow guided by an oath of a promise to my dad long after him leaving this earth to search for me and they did. Each one remaining in my life until joining the rest of the heavens beloved humanitarians. This included muhammad ali whom my dad loved as a little brother, 16 years his junior and his entrusted friend. There was a doubletake when i came upon him, a once childhood and now looking right into his face and you know how he is. He gives you that little dare like, is that you . From the very moment we found one another, it was as if no time passed as all despite all of the presumptions of division, dispute all of the efforts of separation, despite all of the orgazed distancing. We dove right into all of the spaces we could explore and uncover privately. We cried out loud. His belt, his grief for having not spoken to my dad before he left and then just as loudly wed laugh about the best of stories, some that cant be repeated. He was really funny. What was significant as brothers for my father and ali was their ability to discuss openly anything, all facets of life, namely, the true meaning, as men with great responsibilities be bestowed to them of how to make an equitable difference in the lives of others. And unifying topic was faith and respect for faith, all faiths, even if belonging to one specific religion or none, the root of such being the gift of faith itself so in his own words he wrote, we all have the same god. We just serve her differently. Rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, oceans, all have different names but they all contain water. So do religions have to fit names and yet they all contain truth. Truth expressed in different ways and forms and times. It doesnt matter whether youre a muslim, a christian or a jew. When you believe in god, you should believe all people are part of one family. [ applause ] for if you love god, you cant love only some of his children. [ applause ] his words and certainly ideals shared by both men, love is a mighty thing, devotion is a mighty thing and truth always reigns. Having muhammad ali in my life somehow sustained my dads breath for me a little while longer. 51 years longer until now. [ applause ] i am forever grateful at our union on this earth together allowed for me a continuum of shared understanding, preserved confidentialities and the comfort of living in his home town of louisville kentucky for the past six years. [ applause ] that was not a plan. And mostly for the gift of knowing and loving his wife and children forever forward as my own family, know that. As the last of the paternity reaches the heavens, my heart is rendered ever longingly for that tribe. The tribe of purpose, the tribe of significance, tribe of confidence, tribe of character, tribe of duty, tribe of faith, tribe of service. We must make sure that the principle of men and women, like muhammad ali and others, whom dedicated their very being to assure that you get to recognize your own glory, is sustained and passed on like that olympic torch. My dad would offer in state when concluding or parting from another, may we meet again in the light of understanding and i say to you with the light of that compass by any means necessary. [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, representing the president of the United States and mrs. Obama, miss valerie jarrett. [ applause ] good afternoon. On behalf of president obama and mrs. Obama, i wish to express to you their deepest regret that they couldnt be with us here today as we celebrate the extraordinary life of muhammad ali. I first met muhammad ali over 45 years ago through his friendship with my uncle jean and he, my uncle, would be so touch that his son gene is a pallbearer here today. Thank you, lonnie. The president and first lady asked me if i would read this tribute to you penned by president obama. It was 1980, an epic career was in its twilight. Everybody knew it. Probably including the champ himself. Ali went in to one of his final fights an underdog. All of the smart money was on the new champ, larry holmes. And in the end, the odds makers were right. A few hours later, at 4 00 a. M. , after the loss, after the fans had gone home and the Sports Writers were writing their final take, a Sports Writer asked a restroom attendant if he had bet on the fight. The man, black and getting on in years, said he had put his money on ali. The writer asked why. Why, the man said . Why . Because hes muhammad ali. Thats why. He said, mister, im 72 years old and i owe the man for giving me my dignity. [ applause ] to lonnie and the ali family, president clinton and an arena full of distinguished guests, you are amazing. The man we celebrate today is not just a boxer or a poet or an agitator or a man of peace, not just a muslim or a black man or a louisville kid, although he wasnt even just the greatest of all time. He was muhammad ali. The whole far greater than the sum of its parts. He was bigger, brighter and more original and influential than just about anyone of his era. [ applause ] you couldnt have made him up and, yes, he was pretty, too. He had fans in every city, every village, every ghetto on the planet. He was foreign heads of state, the beatles, british invasion took a detour to come to him. It seemed sometimes that the champ was simply too big for america. But i actually think that the world flocked to him in wonder precisely because, as he once put it, muhammad ali was america brash, defiant, pioneering, joyful, never tired, always game to test the odds. He was our most basic freedoms, religion, speech, spirit. He embodied our ability to invent ourselves. His life spoke to our original slavery and discrimination and the journey he traveled help to shock our consciousness and lead us on a roundabout path towards salvation. And like america, he was always very much a work in progress. We do him a disservice to gauze up his story to talk only of floating like butterflies and stinging like bees. Ali was a radical even in a radical of times. A loud and proud and unbashedly black voice in a jim crow world. [ applause ] his jabs knocked some sense into us, yes, they did. Pushing us to expand our imagination and bring others into our understanding. Now, there were times when he swung a bit wildly. Thats right. Wound up and accidently may have wronged the wrong opponent as he was the first to admit. But through all his triumphs and failures, ali seemed to have achieved the sort of enlightenment and inner peace that we are all striving towards. In the 60s when other young men his age were leaving the country to avoid war or jail, he was asked why he didnt join them. He got angry. He said hed never leave. His people, in his words, are here, the millions struggling for freedom and justice and equality and i could do a lot of help in jail or not right here in america. [ applause ] hed have everything stripped from him, his titles, his standing, his money, his passion. Very nearly his freedom. But ali still chose america. I imagine he knew that only here in this country could he win it all back. So he chose to help perfect a union where a descendent of slaves could become the king of the world. And in the process, in the process, lepd some dignity to all of us. Maids, porters, students and elderly bathroom attendant and help inspire a young, mixed kid with a funny name to have the audacity to believe he could be anything, even the president of the United States [ applause ] muhammad ali was america. Muhammad ali will always be america. What a man. What a spirit. What a joyous champion. God bless the greatness of ali. God bless his family. And god bless this nation we love. Thank you very much. [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, lonnie ali. [ applause ] Ali Ali Ali Ali assalamu alaikum. Peace be upon you. You know, i said something to matt lauer yesterday that i firmly believe muhammad had something to do with all of this and i think we are right. Thank you all for being here to share in this final farewell to muhammad. On behalf of the ali family, let me first recognize our principal celebrant imam and dr. Timothy gianotti. We thank you for your dedication to helping us fulfill muhammads desire that the ceremonies of this past week reflect the traditions of his islamic faith. And as a family, we thank the millions of people who, through the miracle of social media, inspired by their love of muhammad have reached out to us in their prayers. The messages have come to us from every language and every corner of the globe. From wherever you are watching, know that we have been humbled by your heartfelt expressions of love. It is only fitting that we gather in a city to which muhammad always returned after his great triumphs. A city that has grown as muhammad has grown. [ applause ] muhammad never stopped loving louisville. And we know that louisville loves muhammad. [ applause ] we cannot forget a Louisville Police officer, joe martin, who embraced a young 12yearold boy in distress when his bicycle was stolen. Joe martin handed Young Cassius clay sorry for tripping up that last word clay, to a future in boxing he scarcely could have imagined. America must never forget that when a cop and an inner city kid talk to each other, then miracles can happen. [ applause ] he struggled with parkinsons in a meeting and muhammad indicated when the end came for him, he wanted us to use his life and his death as a teaching moment for young people for his country and for the world. In effect, he wanted us to remind people who are suffering that he had seen the face of injustice, that he grew up in a segregation and that during his early life, he was not free to be who he wanted to be. But he never became bitter enough to quit or engage in violence. It was a time when a young black boy his age could be hung from a tree in mississippi in 1955 whose admitted killers went free. It was time when muhammads friends, people he admired, like malcolm x and dr. King and Nelson Mandela imprisoned for what they believed in. [ applause ] for his part, muhammad faced federal prosecution. He was stripped of his title and his license to box and he was sentenced to prison. But he would not be intimidated so as to abandon his principles and his values. Muhammad wants young people of every background to see his life as proof that adversity can make you stronger. It cannot rob you of the power to dream and to reach your dreams. We built the Muhammad Ali Center and thats the center of the ali message. [ applause ] muhammad wants us to see the face of his religion, true islam, as the face of love. It was his religion that caused him to turn away from war and violence, for his religion he was prepared to sacrifice all that he had and all that he was to protect his soul and follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon you. So even in death, muhammad has something to say. Hes saying that his faith required that he take the more difficult road. It is far more difficult to sacrifice one self in the name of peace than to take up arms in pursuit of violence. [ applause ] you know, all of his life, muhammad was fascinated by travel. He was childlike in his encounter with new surroundings and new people. He took his World Championship fights to the ends of the earth, from the South Pacific to europe to the congo. And, of course, with muhammad, he believed it was his duty to let everyone see him in person because, after all, he was the greatest of all time. [ applause ] the boy from grand avenue in louisville, kentucky, grew in wisdom and discovered something new, that the world really wasnt black and white at all. It was filled with many shades of rich colors, languages and religions. As he moved with ease around the world, the rich and powerful were drawn to him but he was drawn to the poor and the forgotten. [ applause ] muhammad fell in love with the masses and they fell in love with him. In the diversity of men and their faiths, muhammad saw the presence of god. He was captivated by the work of the dalai lama, by Mother Teresa and Church Workers who gave their lives to protect the poor. When his mother died, he arranged for multiple faiths to be represented at her funeral and he wanted the same for himself. We are especially grateful for the presence of the diverse faith leaders here today. And i would like to ask them to stand once more and be recognized. [ applause ] thank you. Thank you very much. You know, as i reflect on the life of my husband, its easy to see his most obvious talents. His majesty in the ring as he danced under those lights, enshrined him as a champion for the ages. Less obvious was his extraordinary sense of timing. His knack for being in the right place at the right time seemed to be ordained by a higher power. Even those surrounded by jim crow, he was born into a family with two parents that nurtured and encouraged him. He was placed on the path of his dreams by a white cop and he had teachers who understood his dreams and wanted him to succeed. The olympic gold medal came and the world started to take notice. A group of successful business men in louisville called the Louisville Sponsoring Group saw his potential and helped him build a runway to launch his career. His timing was impeccable as he burst into the National Stage just as television was hungry for a star to change the faith of sports. You know, if muhammad didnt like the rules, he rewrote them. His religion, his name, his beliefs were his to fashion, no matter what the cost. The timing of his actions coincided with a broader shift in cultural attitudes across america, particularly on college campuses. When he had challenged the u. S. Government on the draft, his chance of success was slim to none. That the timing of his decision converged with a rising tide of discontent on the war. Public opinion shifted in