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“The Ballot or the Bullet,” a speech given by Malcom X to unite African Americans, was a risky and unwise move. The speech encouraged violence in the case of oppression. Shortly afterwards riots erupted in cities across America. When giving his speech, Malcom X failed to remember the rebellions during times of slavery. They never achieved their goal. Although this speech was highly influential, it did not bring any good to African Americans. Suggesting violence when being highly outnumbered with a lack of resources and education was extremely dangerous and unwise. In addition to this, utilizing violence instead of a peaceful approach to get what he wanted was unbiblical and extreme for the situation. Malcom X was a civil rights activist …show more content…
and a muslim minister. “Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Louise Norton Little, was a homemaker occupied with the family’s eight children. His father, Earl Little, was an outspoken Baptist minister and avid supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey” (malcomx.com). The name Little was inherited from a slave owner, and to symbolize his lost African name, Malcom changed his last name to the letter X. On April 3,1964 at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, Malcom X delivered his speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” to inspire blacks to fight for civil rights. He specifically encouraged them to vote for leaders who would help them to be treated as equals, but also encouraged violence if good leaders were not elected. He was later assassinated by rival black Muslims after he angered them by leaving the Nation of Islam to start his own militant, black nationalism. This was followed by violent uprisings across America, which was in great contrast to Christian minister and civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr’s philosophy. King never resorted to violence, but instead led peaceful rallies and marches for civil rights. During times of slavery, multiple slaves or groups of slaves led uprisings to physically fight for their freedom.
In nearly every case the slaves did not earn freedom for themselves or their fellow slaves. Furthermore, they earned themselves quite the opposite. Laws regarding slaves rights were further restricted and often the revolting slaves and their entire families were killed. Slaves were officially freed under a peaceful proclamation by Abraham Lincoln and through the fighting of those who were better equipped in numbers, weapons, and skills. Approximately one hundred years later Malcom X gave his infamous speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet.” Rather than to take a peaceful approach like that of Lincoln or King, Malcom X encouraged violence as the answer to civil rights issues. This was meant to be an inspiration and a dare for African-Americans to throw off the oppressions of the world. The speech began in a peaceful manner, by requesting that the listeners vote wisely. However, the speech quickly took a turn for the worse. The speaker threatened that if influential leaders for the cause of civil rights was not elected then violence would have to be used. While he never directly called for violence in his speech other than implying it by encouraging the use of a bullet if nothing as done, he did call for equality by any means necessary. He gave the people on two options, either the ballot or the bullet would have to be …show more content…
utilized. While this speech effected the actions of the people, it more so effected the mindset of African-American. He inspired and transformed thousands of meek blacks into proud and self-confident people. Malcom X was viewed as a militant radical throughout American by whites, but as a hero by African-Americans everywhere. After his death, a man named Huey P. Newton was inspired after hearing many of his speeches to start an organization called the black panthers, which was a revolutionary black nationalist and socialist organization. The organization’s most prominent core practice was its armed citizens patrols, which monitored police behavior and challenged police brutality. However, later on the Black Panther Party initiated an assortment of community social programs such as Free Breakfast for Children Programs and community health clinics. After years of being seen and feared as a militant radical among white Americans, Malcom X is widely seen today in mainstream culture as a hero of the civil rights movement. However, many people have other opinions about him. He is still seen by many as extremist filled with hatred, but he is mainly celebrated now as a national hero in movie theaters, posters in classrooms, and even on a postage stamp issued by the United States government in 1999. His speech has little effect on the world today, but some of his widely shared beliefs have lived on in many people since his death. Malcom X’s flawed philosophy showed heavily in his speech “The Ballot or the Bullet.” Many people say that he fought for civil rights, complete equality, and integration, but the definition of civil rights is the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.
These things are not what he promoted. Malcom X believed in separatism. He wanted blacks to live completely separately from whites in the Unites States, and he wanted it by any means necessary. He was not a peaceful man as shown in his speech and his actions. Even though his only documented acts of violence were as a young man for burglary, pimping, and drug-dealing, he obviously encouraged violence by the use of the metaphor of a bullet in his speech. He also left the Nation of Islam because he viewed them as being too passive. These the same group who assassinated him after his leaving because they were angry at him. Many people today still encourage violence or employ it themselves in order to throw off the oppression of the white man. Evidently Malcom X was a highly influential speaker, but although some of his intentions where respectable, his doctrines about fighting for what you believe in through any means necessary, as stated in “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech, were extremely flawed and his separatist belief left many people unfree and
unequal.
Recently you have received a letter from Martin Luther King Jr. entitled “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” In Dr. King’s letter he illustrates the motives and reasoning for the extremist action of the Civil Rights movement throughout the 1960’s. In the course of Dr. King’s letter to you, he uses rhetorical questioning and logistical reasoning, imagery and metaphors, and many other rhetorical devices to broaden your perspectives. I am writing this analysis in hopes you might reconsider the current stance you have taken up regarding the issues at hand.
“It’ll be the ballot or it’ll be the bullet. It’ll be liberty or it’ll be death.” These are the famous words of Malcolm X in his speech The Ballot or the Bullet. In April, 1964 Malcolm X stood in front of a large crowd in Cleveland, Ohio and explained what the ballot or bullet meant. He was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement and fought to make all African-Americans equal. Malcolm X explained to his audience using a great appeal to ethos, pathos and logos that African-Americans should fight for racial economic and social justice without different religion views standing in the way. He told his audience instead of fighting, meaning the bullet, they could vote for their own leaders or better leaders to represent them, meaning the ballot.
Of the people whose names are mentioned in history, some men like Thomas Edison are praised for their genius minds, while others such as Adolf Hitler are criticized for leaving a depressing legacy behind. While it is relative easy to notice the type of legacies these two men left, legacies of other men are often vague and they seem to be imbedded in gray shadows. This is how many people view the life of Malcolm X. Malcolm X during his lifetime had influenced many African Americans to step up for their rights against the injustices by the American government. One on hand, he has been criticized for his hard stances that resemble extremism, while on the other hand he has been praised him for his effort in raising the status for African Americans. The extremes in viewing his life from the modern day perspective have often come from reading his climatic speech The Ballot or the Bullet that he gave in many cities across America in 1964. When he was with the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X favored Blacks to be separated from the Whites, and during this time he strongly opposed White Supremacy. This also seems quite prevalent in his speech The Ballot or the Bullet. However, one events during the last year of his life reveal that he wanted the Blacks and the Whites to coexist as peaceful Americans.
he had grown frustrated with the non-violent, integrated struggle for civil rights and worried that blacks would ultimately lose control of their own movement. The reason Malcolm X was so beloved and iconic was due to him being a key figure in the black movement about the same time as Martin Luther King jr.. The era of the 1950-1960, advocating black pride, a separate black community and violence disguised as self defense. He stood against white aggression. Changing the last name of his to an x to demonstrate how he denies what he said to be a “slave” name. Charismatic and eloquent. His death in 1965 is what sparked and later laid the firm foundation for the Black Power movements in the late 1960s and 1970s. Opposite to popular belief, this man had done more harm than good in using violence against the white “devil”. It only proved those that though African Americans were only violent animals right. Even Martin Luther King Jr didn't like what how Malcolm X was going about gaining their civil rights , even going as far as saying he hated the use of the words “black power” because. Ultimately Malcolm didn't make any type of immensely big impact on the civil rights movement in a good way or help them stop the spread of racism and
As one of the most proficient civil rights activist of the 1960's, Malcolm X and his speeches were very influential but particularly one speech was highly esteemed, that being the Ballot or the Bullet speech. A speech that was given after the "I have A Dream speech by Dr. Martin Luther King. Despite, Dr. Martin Luther King being a pacifist and also a civil rights activist as well; Malcolm X was more tyrannical and advocated the use of violence. During this era, the democrats were in control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, therefore both the Senate and the House of Representatives were leaning towards providing more civil rights to African-Americans. The purpose of Malcolm X’s speech was to convince African Americans to become more politically aware and to vote members of their own race into office.
Until the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his life’s work was dedicated to the nonviolent actions of blacks to gain the freedoms they were promised in the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 by Abraham Lincoln. He believed that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (King, 1963). These injustices had become so burdensome to blacks that they were “plunged into an abyss of despair” (King, 1963). The nonviolent actions of the sit-ins, boycotts, and marches were so the “individual could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths…to help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism” and ultimately lead to “inevitably opening the door to negotiation” (King, 1963). Not only was King’s approach effective with the older black generation, it was also successful with white people. They did not feel threatened when approached by King. White people gained a sense of empathy towards the plight of black freedom as King’s promise of nonviolence did not threaten their livelihood. Malcolm X viewed the world similarly to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., however; his beliefs to changing the status quo were slightly different from his political counterpart. Malcolm X realized that “anger could blind human vision” (X, 1965). In realizing this, X knew that in order to achieve racial freedom blacks had to “forget hypocritical politics and propaganda” (X, 1965). While Malcolm X was more so an advocate for violent forces against white people than King, X merely used force when it became necessary for defense. According to X, “I don’t go for non-violence if it also means a delayed solution. I am for violence if non-violence means we continue postponing a solution to American black man’s problem” (X, 1965). However, this le...
“I’m for the truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole” (X). This quote by Malcolm X represented his attitude towards equality and self-empowerment. The true Malcolm X was a passionate human rights activist as well as an extremely outspoken man during the fifties and sixties. X encouraged millions of African Americans to fight for what they believed in and to take pride in their ethnicity. X persuaded a multitude of African Americans that they are supreme and should not be degraded for their skin color. He learned at a very early age if he wanted something in life, he had to make some noise
On April 12, 1964, Malcolm X stepped in front of a crowd of two thousand in Detroit’s King Solomon Baptist Church. Ministers initially attempted to prevent Malcolm X from using the church to deliver the speech at the last minute, as they had already estimated the potential for controversy (“Say It Plain, Say It Loud”). Many historians deem the speech, titled “The Ballot or the Bullet,” Malcolm X’s greatest performance. Only a month after departing from the Nation of Islam and joining the mainstream Civil Rights Movement, Malcolm X already recognized the vital flaw in the movement: the African American expectation of help from the white population. “The Ballot or the Bullet” aimed to point out that flaw and unite all African Americans through
Malcolm X says that the African Americans should stand up and fight for their rights, as opposed to take Martin Luther King Jr.'s route of non-violent protests. He says that the government has failed the African Americans and that nobody is going to help the African Americans but themselves, and that's why they need to take actions into their own hands. (Doc. B) However, this can backfire. Since the government isn't o...
On February 11th 1965 Malcolm X gave a speech at the London school of economics. In Malcolm’s speech Malcolm discussed the racism that plagued the United States during the 1960s. During this speech Malcolm brought up police brutality and the riots that it caused, saying that the riots were nothing more than a reaction by the African community because of police brutality. Since Malcolm x’s time many things have been accomplished for the equality of Africans in America; however In today’s society America still feels the anguish of riots based on police brutality. Malcom X’s view on racism was a “whatever it takes” type of theology, justifying violence to end racism. During Malcolm X’s speech on February 11th 1965 Malcolm sheds light on many of
Malcolm X wanted to properly educate his people with the wisdom and knowledge that wasn’t being taught to African Americans as they have been misguided all these years. He stressed the importance of unity in the black community and coming together as one because in all actuality they are all fighting the same war. This speech did a good job empowering. In the end, the goal of Malcolm X’s speech was to reveal the necessity of Black Nationalism and building a black community that stands up to white manipulation, in addition to the urgency for black people becoming politically intelligent, so that they can make wise choices about officials and only choose people who will help the black community. This speech had a dramatic effect on society because it pertained substance. It spoke of the racial injustice and was coming out the mouth of someone that endured their pain and struggle, also relentless and a truth-teller but most importantly black. Nonetheless, “The Ballot or the Bullet” gave African Americans a voice in which they
The Negro revolution is a stagnant fight; the black revolution is a fight with one decisive winner. In this talk of revolution he also pointed out the hypocrisy of the American people on the subject of violence. How many black people will to go war for a country that hates them and do not even want them in the country, but when a white man strikes them they turned a blind eye because “peace” is the answer. “If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad”(MalcomX, Message to the Grassroots), many people would agree with this sentiment. Why condemn those who want to fight for something they believe in using violence when we as a country are doing the same thing overseas. Later in the speech, Malcolm X calls out the modern house Negros we have today in the United States. A house Negro was the slaves who stayed in the living quarter with their master and were maids and butlers and tended to the children. The latter are the filed Negros who worked in the fields and stayed in
On April 3, 1964, Malcolm X’s speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” was a response speech to Martin Luther king Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, a month prior to Malcolm’s. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. shared a mutual vision – freedom for African Americans. Dr. King was a person who believes that war and violence are unjustifiable; Malcolm X was an advocate of violence, he encouraged it. The two great civil rights leaders of the 1960’s, held opposing political philosophies.
Propaganda is characterized as data which is false or which underscores only one piece of a circumstance, utilized by an administration or political gathering to make individuals concur with them as. Although Malcolm X was saying the right thing, he only used the one side evidence to push his claims such as the violence aspect. For example, “If George Washington didn’t get independence for this country nonviolently, and if Patrick Henry didn’t come up with a nonviolent statement, and you taught me to look upon them as patriots and heroes, then it’s time for you to realize that I have studied your books well.” He made his audience aware that freedom is not given freely but through violence one can obtain freedom. Throughout his speech, he uses name calling to push his claims. Malcolm X then was referring to some of the blacks who did not support his movement with names such as “Uncle Tom” to provoke his audiences, which were some blacks who supported, agreed with him for
...s “The Bullet or the Ballot” is a call to action. His audience has been suffering for centuries, and he believes that it is time to end this suffering. He looks around and sees examples of civil disobedience, and doesn’t believe that this will be enough to win the freedom of his people. In order to preach his solution, and possibly start a revolution toward their rights, he uses all three rhetorical proofs. He uses logos to prove that black Americans have been taken advantage of by the “white man” and proposes a solution, he uses ethos to state his character and credibility so that his audience will be more likely to listen to his solution, and he uses overwhelming pathos that urges the audience to act on his solution. As is clear from his most famous speech, Malcolm X was not only an extremely powerful and influential leader, but also a brilliant Freedom Fighter.