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Moeen Ali Urges Michael Vaughan To Fight Racism After Latter's 2017 Anti-Muslim Tweet Gets Picked

image-lk7x5ghzMoeen Ali (Twitter)

England all-rounder Moeen Ali has expressed his thoughts on Michael Vaughan's controversial tweet from 2017, in which the former England captain suggested that Moeen should ask young Muslims if they are terrorists in order to make society safer. Moeen has described Vaughan's views as "very silly" and "dumb."

The incident dates back to 2017 when Vaughan initially supported a Daily Mail column by Piers Morgan, which argued that Muslims must take responsibility for eradicating extremism within their communities. In response to a query on Twitter, Vaughan implied that Moeen could go around asking unknown Muslims if they were aware of any terrorists.

In a forthcoming documentary titled 'Is Cricket Racist?' - set to air on Channel 4 in the UK, Moeen was asked about Vaughan's controversial statements concerning the Muslim community by presenter Adil Ray.

"It was very silly. Dumb really. We need people like him to step up for us. As Muslims, or any other faith really. And just be a bit smarter. I think he has also realized that times are changing and he has to change," Moeen Ali said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

Vaughan has previously apologised for his tweets, including during the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) racism hearings in March. Although he was cleared of making racist comments towards Azeem Rafiq and other South Asian players in 2009, Moeen's tweet and others were presented as evidence against Vaughan by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Moeen's call for Vaughan to actively combat racism in cricket underscores the pressing need to address systemic discrimination. It is crucial to foster an inclusive environment where talent and merit take precedence over factors such as race, class, or gender. By prioritizing equality and fairness, the cricketing world can strive towards a stronger and more diverse future.

Meanwhile, Moeen is set to be part of the England playing XI for the fourth Ashes 2023 Test against Australia, commencing on July 19 at Old Trafford in Manchester. He is expected to bat at number three in the lineup.