Oct 27, 2015
Malcolm X "The Ballot or the Bullet"
In this speech, Malcolm X want his audience to know that black people are not American citizen, they are just victims of Americanism. He want to encourage African American to stand up for their rights and take actions against White politicians that are preventing them from getting their civil rights. He goes by saying “It’ll be the ballot or it’ll be the bullet. It’ll be liberty or it’ll be death. And if you’re not ready to pay that price don’t use the word freedom in your vocabulary”(89). This is a message to his audience that they need to fight to get their freedom even though it might lead to violent. He also state that they need to stop singing and start swinging …show more content…
If they don't vote, they will continue to be misled and nothing will change. He want to point out how important it is to understand the politics that impact their community. If the unite, they will have the power to to determine who should be elected. They can shift the balance because White are split between Republicans and Democrats candidates. He believed that the government has failed black people because they broke their promise of giving Black people their civil rights. Democrats haven't done anything to push the civil right bills. He want his audience to feel some emotion by saying, “ Here he is standing up in front of other people, Uncle Sam, with the blood of your and mine mothers and fathers on his hands, with the blood dripping down his jaws like a bloody-jawed wolf, and still got the nerve to point his finger at other countries. You can’t even get civil rights legislation” (88). He want Black people to know how hypocrite the government is. America is the land of freedom, yet Black people aren’t free. He show his frustration by saying Black people are defending a country that doesn't even give them their civil rights. They are still victims of the …show more content…
By putting their religion a side, they can focus on fighting the common enemy. “Islam is my religion, but I believe my religion is my personal business. It governs my personal life, my personal morals. And my religious philosophy is personal between me and the God in whom I believe; just as the religious philosophy of these others is between them and the God in whom they believe. And this is best this way”(79). By saying this, he want them to keep their religion private. He believed that it should be between them and God. Focusing on their differences will keep them separated. He state “ They don’t hang you because you’re a Baptist; they hang you 'cause you’re black. They don’t attack me because I’m a Muslim; they attack me 'cause I’m black. They attack all of us for the same reason; all of us catch hell from the same enemy”(81). He want them to understand that their religion doesn't matter because under the White people's eye they all