“The Ballot or the Bullet:” A Call to Awake Nationalism within African Americans
“The Ballot or the Bullet:” A Call to Awake Nationalism within African Americans
As the United States maneuvered into the year 1964, racial tensions were at an all time high and the civil rights movement was in full fledge. Malcolm X was a Muslim, African American human rights activist fighting for equality during this time. Dr. Martin Luther King was also an influential human rights activist fighting for the justice of people of all colors. Martin Luther King promoted results through civil disobedience with the idea that one could achieve anything through patience and without violence. Unlike Martin Luther King, Malcolm X propagated violence or justice, freedom, …show more content…
He said it in an Ohio church in front of 2000 people. 1964 was an election year and it was not common for African Americans to have a say in the government. Political views were pushed upon them by rough campaigners visiting colored neighborhoods. His intent is to push them to make a decision based on what is best for the black community as a whole. Malcolm X’s speech is successful from the very beginning, in which he personally connects to the audience by disregarding race and religion and making it a personal, humane connection. Malcolm X prominently displays ethos, pathos, and logos throughout the speech, which he uses to efficiently convey his point to the audience. He uses ethos to gain the trust and respect of the audience. Malcolm X, then, fully takes advantage of pathos to appeal the audience’s emotions. He repeats the phrase “The Ballot or The Bullet,” trying to emphasize that if they did not assert their dominance when it comes time to vote, it would result in a violent approach to receive freedom and equality. He also uses logos by examples and reason to make the audience …show more content…
One of the reasons it carries so much weight is the amount of emotion and intensity associated with it. The pathos in use while this speech was delivered is phenomenal. Considering the audience was composed of many African Americans, most can relate to issues highlighted by Malcolm X. He intentionally angers the crowd by saying “The year when all of the white political crooks will be right back in your and my community with their false promises, building up our hopes for a letdown, with their trickery and their treachery, with their false promises which they don't intend to keep” (X 2). Now, Malcolm X was not a saint by any means. He believed in the greater good. To achieve the greater good, he believed stable civil disobedience was not the answer. He believed revolution was fueled by anger. That is why he continually reminds the crowd of the “white politicians” and their “false promises,” hoping this would stick in their brain and build a corner in their hearts for their own revolution. His use of depressing words such as “letdown”, “trickery”, and “treachery” all invoke a sad emotion within the crowd, as if they have all been used by the “crooks… in their community.” Another moment when Malcolm X strikes the audience emotions is when he questions their parental
“The Ballot or the Bullet:” A Call to Awake Nationalism within African Americans
As the United States maneuvered into the year 1964, racial tensions were at an all time high and the civil rights movement was in full fledge. Malcolm X was a Muslim, African American human rights activist fighting for equality during this time. Dr. Martin Luther King was also an influential human rights activist fighting for the justice of people of all colors. Martin Luther King promoted results through civil disobedience with the idea that one could achieve anything through patience and without violence. Unlike Martin Luther King, Malcolm X propagated violence or justice, freedom, …show more content…
He said it in an Ohio church in front of 2000 people. 1964 was an election year and it was not common for African Americans to have a say in the government. Political views were pushed upon them by rough campaigners visiting colored neighborhoods. His intent is to push them to make a decision based on what is best for the black community as a whole. Malcolm X’s speech is successful from the very beginning, in which he personally connects to the audience by disregarding race and religion and making it a personal, humane connection. Malcolm X prominently displays ethos, pathos, and logos throughout the speech, which he uses to efficiently convey his point to the audience. He uses ethos to gain the trust and respect of the audience. Malcolm X, then, fully takes advantage of pathos to appeal the audience’s emotions. He repeats the phrase “The Ballot or The Bullet,” trying to emphasize that if they did not assert their dominance when it comes time to vote, it would result in a violent approach to receive freedom and equality. He also uses logos by examples and reason to make the audience …show more content…
One of the reasons it carries so much weight is the amount of emotion and intensity associated with it. The pathos in use while this speech was delivered is phenomenal. Considering the audience was composed of many African Americans, most can relate to issues highlighted by Malcolm X. He intentionally angers the crowd by saying “The year when all of the white political crooks will be right back in your and my community with their false promises, building up our hopes for a letdown, with their trickery and their treachery, with their false promises which they don't intend to keep” (X 2). Now, Malcolm X was not a saint by any means. He believed in the greater good. To achieve the greater good, he believed stable civil disobedience was not the answer. He believed revolution was fueled by anger. That is why he continually reminds the crowd of the “white politicians” and their “false promises,” hoping this would stick in their brain and build a corner in their hearts for their own revolution. His use of depressing words such as “letdown”, “trickery”, and “treachery” all invoke a sad emotion within the crowd, as if they have all been used by the “crooks… in their community.” Another moment when Malcolm X strikes the audience emotions is when he questions their parental