Malcolm X Speaks

After reading all of the different Malcolm X speeches, I became a lot more conscious that many African-Americans faced the movement that was happening around 1964 very differently from one another. Malcolm X’s approach is pretty much opposite of everything that we have discussed in class. In class, we discussed how King talked, dressed, and overall presented himself in a certain way that would make his speech more understanding for a white audience. Malcolm instigates that we are “dealing with a man whose bias and prejudice are making him lose his mind, his intelligence, everyday” (page 36). The racism towards African-Americans is based on a controlled image that another white man gave him. Another interesting point that Malcolm discusses is the fact that he does not even consider himself an American. If he was a true American, an American that the white man has promised his other allies would become, he would not be facing the inequalities that he faces everyday. “All of us have suffered here, in this country, political oppression at the hands of the white man, economic exploitation at the hands of the white man, and social degradation at the hands of the white man” (page 24). Malcolm strongly argues against the society that the white man has turned the country into. In order to change the way America is, Malcolm calls for the concept of either a ballot or a bullet. “That’s why, in 1964, it’s time now for you and me to become more politically mature and realize what the ballot is for; what we’re supposed to get when we cast a ballot; and what if we don’t cast a ballot, it’s going to end up in a situation where we’re going to cast a bullet” (page 30). In order for change to happen, it must happen within our government. Due to systems of power oppressing African-Americans politically, economically, and socially, individuals then oppress, exploitate, and degrade black people in the United States. Malcolm X is saying that there must be a government change, but this change is not going to be civil.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Freedom Riders 3/26

As I watched the “Freedom Riders” documentary, the more disgusted I become at that racial injustices in American history. At the beginning of the documentary, there is a small montage of bigots giving poor excuses as to why the South should remain segregated. However, there was one quote that stuck out that stated, “You can not change a way of life overnight. The more they try to force us into doing something, the worse the reaction is going to be.” Racism should not be a way of life anyone wants to live through or put onto someone else. The Freedom Riders and many nonviolent protesters weren’t physically imposing on others, so why was the reaction of segregationists to worsening as “they try to force” them into a realistic way of life? Watching the documentary and listening to how the Riders were willing to be martyrs for the Movement as they were physically attacked, their property was destroyed via molotov and mentally drained daily makes me appreciate activism a great deal more, ...
Read more
After reading the rest of Kwame Ture and Charles V. Hamilton's Black Power and then reflecting about what we talked about in class on Tuesday, I still cannot put my finger on an exact definition of "black power." I do believe, though, that "black power" cannot be achieved without a change in the political structure of America. When reading the fourth chapter of this book, the idea that people in power control the law is brought up. I, almost, one hundred percent agree with this. The quote from the book that stood out to me was "Law is the agent of those in political power; it is the product of those powerful enough to define right and wrong and to have that definition legitimized by "law." This is not to say that "might makes right," but it is to say that Might makes Law." This quote shows how political leaders shape the law. Those in power get to make the laws, whether they are just or not. I still believe this today. I believe...
Read more

What It's Like to Be Black on Campus Now

In Melissa Harris-Perry’s article, “What It’s Like to Be Black on Campus Now”, she discusses the issues behind race in education and institutions through ten black student journalists who tell their personal experiences. She gives an example from the University of Missouri, explaining how one student decided to stop eating in protest of inaction and ineffective administrative responses to racial incidents on campus. 30 Missouri football players joined this one student in protest and University of Missouri’s president resigned soon after. This example is powerful because it shows other institutions that when you unite together, change can come. Harris- Perry continues to talk about how important education is to black families and how hard it is to send their children to a place that can be so full of hatred towards their race. She wrote, “Viewing higher education as a pathway to equity, African American families and communities have made enormous sacrifices to send black kids to college...
Read more