One of the most fundamental similarities between these two men, though, was their pursuit of freedom for their people. While both Dr. King and Malcolm X viewed freedom differently, they both alleged their form was the best option, and this belief was combined with their unwavering awareness of racial tension, which both men had from young ages. This search for freedom, for liberation from white supremacy, pushed them to become activists in their communities. They both knew since childhood the way blacks were treated was different and, most importantly, cruel and discriminating. Over time, this awareness led to anger and resentment, which eventually morphed into the ideology they had as adults and as Civil Rights leaders. Their passion, their
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King and Malcolm X’s approaches was their drastic differences. Their tactics, ideologies, and mentalities have virtually no similarities, and their differences were encompassed in how, where, and why they advocated and operated the way they did. From childhood, these two men were forced to have polarizing views of life. Dr. King was comfortable, lived a modest, happy life with his loving family and kind community. Malcolm X knew fear and terror from birth. His family, though the same religion as Dr. King, was targeted by numerous racist groups, and his father and uncles were murdered by white men by the time he was six-years-old. Their childhoods shaped their mentalities completely. Dr. King saw the world and social change with optimism. He had faith America could and would band together, would meet love and social harmony as an equal nation under God. He understood humanity’s inherently evil nature, but he never lost his assurance or his faith. He pushed for a gradual, slow, nonviolent social revolution where the black community forced itself onto white society, making white people live in tandem with blacks until true peace was achieved. Malcolm X was not as fortunate. He did not have the optimism, the charisma Dr. King had. Instead, he used anger, he used frustration and indignation to drive his mentality and persuade blacks the best option they had was to completely isolate and separate themselves from the white society that …show more content…
Dr. King forcefully pushed the idea of turning the other cheek, of refusing to fight back in order to maintain the peace of a non-violent demonstration. He encouraged demonstrators to disregard the physical violence, the taunting and jeering and harassment that occurred at demonstrations. He maintained that, after everything blacks were forced to endure, “in spite of all this daily suffering,” brutal words and public mocking should not be what breaks their spirits (93). Malcolm X, however, did not agree. He believed in fair retribution. Those who were attacked by whites should protect themselves “in kind” (97). He argued it was a constitutional right for Americans to bear arms, to defend themselves and to maintain self-preservation, which “is the first law of nature” (97). Because their approaches to racial justice were different, so were their opinions on self-defense and self-preservation. Ultimately, both men portrayed a clear distinction in how they wanted freedom for the black community, but both men assumed they were doing the best for their cause, showing how they used their polarized views to try and benefit their
King and Malcolm X’s approaches was their drastic differences. Their tactics, ideologies, and mentalities have virtually no similarities, and their differences were encompassed in how, where, and why they advocated and operated the way they did. From childhood, these two men were forced to have polarizing views of life. Dr. King was comfortable, lived a modest, happy life with his loving family and kind community. Malcolm X knew fear and terror from birth. His family, though the same religion as Dr. King, was targeted by numerous racist groups, and his father and uncles were murdered by white men by the time he was six-years-old. Their childhoods shaped their mentalities completely. Dr. King saw the world and social change with optimism. He had faith America could and would band together, would meet love and social harmony as an equal nation under God. He understood humanity’s inherently evil nature, but he never lost his assurance or his faith. He pushed for a gradual, slow, nonviolent social revolution where the black community forced itself onto white society, making white people live in tandem with blacks until true peace was achieved. Malcolm X was not as fortunate. He did not have the optimism, the charisma Dr. King had. Instead, he used anger, he used frustration and indignation to drive his mentality and persuade blacks the best option they had was to completely isolate and separate themselves from the white society that …show more content…
Dr. King forcefully pushed the idea of turning the other cheek, of refusing to fight back in order to maintain the peace of a non-violent demonstration. He encouraged demonstrators to disregard the physical violence, the taunting and jeering and harassment that occurred at demonstrations. He maintained that, after everything blacks were forced to endure, “in spite of all this daily suffering,” brutal words and public mocking should not be what breaks their spirits (93). Malcolm X, however, did not agree. He believed in fair retribution. Those who were attacked by whites should protect themselves “in kind” (97). He argued it was a constitutional right for Americans to bear arms, to defend themselves and to maintain self-preservation, which “is the first law of nature” (97). Because their approaches to racial justice were different, so were their opinions on self-defense and self-preservation. Ultimately, both men portrayed a clear distinction in how they wanted freedom for the black community, but both men assumed they were doing the best for their cause, showing how they used their polarized views to try and benefit their