Malcolm X analyzes why following the Democratic Party is not in the best interest of African Americans since the Democrats allow the "Dixiecrats" a place in their organization to retain power. Malcolm X noted that 1964 was an election year, a year "when all of the white political crooks will be right back in your and my community with their false promises which they don't intend to keep". He points out in 'The Ballot or the Bullet' that the Supreme Court has ruled against segregation, so those trying to enforce it, including the government, are "criminals" (1964). He contrasted civil rights, which he described as "asking Uncle Sam to treat you right", to human rights, which he called "your God-given rights" and "the rights that are recognized by all nations of this earth". [6], When he left the Nation of Islam, Malcolm declared his willingness to cooperate with the Civil Rights Movement. . Let it be the ballot or the bullet. ", "They don't hang you because you're a Baptist; they hang you 'CAUSE YOU'RE BLACK. Malcolm asserts that African Americans have earned their rights because they've secured massive wealth for the United States by working for free as enslaved people. "The Ballot or the Bullet" asks African Americans to put aside their differences and work together to redefine their civil rights as human rights so they can plead their case to the United Nations. [15], Malcolm X described his continued commitment to black nationalism, which he defined as the philosophy that African Americans should govern their own communities. He was also muslim. The Nation of Islam, as led by Elijah Muhammed, forbade its members from participating in political processes. After you go (threw, through) that intersection, take the next left tum. an ideology that African Americans should separate from white America and form their own institutions. Dixicrats: a southern segregationist faction of the Democratic Party. A chump can sit. This statement exemplifies how Malcolm X's thinking began to shift concerning the Civil Rights Movement after leaving the Nation of Islam and continued down this path while on his pilgrimage to Mecca. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the age of 40. Malcolm X, a Muslim, credits Elijah Muhammed, the leader of the Nation of Islam, with making him into the man he is today. The Ballot or the Bullet Literary Elements Genre Political Speech Setting and Context 1964, against a backdrop of segregation and social unrest. GradeSaver, Read the Study Guide for The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X: His Voice in Poetry and Politics, A Question of Appeal: Rhetorical Analysis of Malcolm X and MLK, View Wikipedia Entries for The Ballot or the Bullet. Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view. He chose this speech to express cause and effect within the black community because he wants his audience to see that they are being taken advantage of. Malcolm X uses rhetorical techniques to persuade his audience to push for equality between races. Despite their religious, differences, they came together. If he waits too long he will be responsible for letting a condition develop in this country which will create a climate that will bring seeds up out of the ground with vegetation on the end of them looking like something these people never dreamed of. [2] Malcolm X advised African Americans to judiciously exercise their right to vote, but he cautioned that if the government continued to prevent African Americans from attaining full equality, it might be necessary for them to take up arms. That right there castrates you. He made a fool out of you. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Malcolm X maintained his use of repetition as "communications of the passion that is satisfied by a single statement, but that beats through the pulses",[27] and this can be exemplified by his consistent use of the phrase "the ballot or the bullet". African Americans should be "re-educated into the science of politics" in order to understand the importance and effect of the vote they cast:[12]. Our faith is sure, our resolve is firm, and our union is strong. For instance he describes the African population in America as "Africans who are in America." . More books than SparkNotes. There 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", Ap Lang Rhetorical Strategies -- "The Ballot, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses, Literature and Composition: Reading, Writing,Thinking, Carol Jago, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses, Exploration/Colonization - American Revolution. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. African american rights were the main concern of many people, along with government corruption and the unwillingness to help. Some were communists; some, Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity a, Thats camouflage, thats trickery, thats, Click here to study/print these flashcards. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. It was the third bombing in 11 days after Birmingham received a federal order to integrate its schools. The text shown above is just an extract. He accused the Democrats of playing a "political con game", with African Americans as its victims. Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates. Freedom or civil rebellion Rhetorical devices in The Ballot or the Bullet [ 2] Rhetorical devices To build a more compelling case against white Americans and the political class, meant to inspire the audience to fight for their rights with any means, the speaker uses a series of language tools called rhetorical devices. You're nothing but Africans. At the time, blacks did not have much say in who they wanted to elect. Southern Democrats had promised to oppose the bill. Everything south of the Canadian border is the South, he jokes. That old Uncle Tom action is outdated. These cover over 30,000 members. Sit-ins are disempowering because they perpetuate the image of the African-American community as cowardly and weak. Analyzes how malcolm x's ballot or bullet speech was highly esteemed, despite dr. martin luther king being a pacifist and civil rights activist. The Ballot or the Bullet, Part 2 Summary and Analysis. Before this ultimatum could ever be proposed . "The Ballot or the Bullet" served several purposes at a critical point in Malcolm X's life: it was part of his effort to distance himself from the Nation of Islam, and it was intended to reach out to moderate civil rights leaders. He acknowledges that they black people have the power to determine who is in office and who is not. Nie wieder prokastinieren mit unseren Lernerinnerungen. [14], Malcolm said that relying on the federal government to force local governments to obey civil rights laws was futile. In this first section of the speech, Malcolm relies on appealing to the pride of the African-American community, particularly through language centering on the emasculation of black peoples and the necessity of relying on brute force over peaceful protest. What is the tone of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? The economic philosophy of black nationalism promotes African-American control of the economy of the African-American community. Let the world know how bloody his [Uncle Sam's] hands are. He also references Abraham Lincoln's statement, "To give victory to the right, not bloody bullets, but peaceful ballots only, are necessary," from his speech on May 18, 1858. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. Like the colonists, Malcolm X is ready to fight tooth and nail for the liberation of his community, whether that means using his vote advantageously or participating in outright revolution. Malcolm uses emotions because he wants the audience to feel the events in America especially when it comes the time to vote. Malcolm X's speech "The Ballot or the Bullet" is intended to encourage African Americans to take the Civil Rights Movement forward and become even more determined in actively fighting for their rights. Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in 1838 and eventually became a respected statesman and advisor to Abraham Lincoln. California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, and activists like Dennis Peron whose partner died of AIDS in 1990 played key roles in organizing the ballot measure. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring! [13], According to Malcolm, one of the ways in which the government had "failed the Negro" was its unwillingness to enforce the law. What do we care about odds? The dollar is taken from the African-American community and given to outsiders. Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes. [12], Black nationalism was characterized by its political, social, and economic philosophies. $4.00. For example, the theme and title of the speech the ballot or the bullet is mentioned about 16 times by the speaker: Let it be the ballot or the bullet. He constantly used repetition of the words "the ballot or the bullet" in order to keep the thought present in the head of the audience, and after completing every thought, he found a way to connect it back to the issue of the ballot or the bullet. You can subscribe to whichever religious beliefs youd like, and remain a member of whichever civic organizations youd like. If the black community throws their support behind a single candidate, as they did behind Kennedy, that candidate will win. The black man is not born free, he is born in jail, victim of structural oppression and to the hypocrisy of a government that claims to represent the interests of all Americans. "When you take your case to Washington, D.C., you're taking it to the criminal who's responsible; it's like running from the wolf to the fox. Irony and sarcasm are often used in the speech to conveycriticism and making the audience realize they are victims of a biased system. In June 1963, President John F. Kennedy sent Congress a civil rights bill. ", "They've become dissatisfied, and all of this has built up frustrations in the black community that makes the black community throughout America today more explosive than all of the atomic bombs the Russians can ever invent", "Whenever you got a racial powder keg sitting in your lap, you're in more trouble than if you had an atomic powder keg sitting in your lap. Some of them were Christians. in "the Ballot or the Bullet" with Malcom X. what made the speaker qualified to give this speech. The most significant modification of Malcolm X's rhetoric that can be observed in "The Ballot or the Bullet" is the broadening of his audience, as he "emphasizes individualized judgement rather than group cohesion"[29] and allows for more analytical "flexibility restrained by a purposive focus on particular goals. Malcolm stresses that the black community makes up the 80% of the Democratic Party and with that percentage they are the ones who put a democrat in the White House. Malcolm Xs speech was an effective example of pathetic because he understands the mindset that the audience is in, and knows what to say to excite them about his cause. 1964, against a backdrop of segregation and social unrest. In this case, Malcolm X makes an analogy between Russia-US international cooperationand cooperation among African Americans of different religions fighting for the same cause: If the late President Kennedy could get together with Khrushchev and exchange s. of the users don't pass the Ballot or the Bullet quiz! "The Ballot or the Bullet" opens by addressing the differences in religious beliefs that divide the African-American community. Correct the word in italics. On the other hand, "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans. Publicly, his criticisms of the system fell on mostly deaf ears. If he's for civil rights, let him go into the Senate next week and denounce the Southern branch of his party. ", indicating your audience may suffer harm/negative consequence if they dont agree with you, "The year when all of the political white crooks will" (The Ballet or the Bullet), "All these Negro leaders have the audacity to go and have some coffee in the White House with a Texan, a Southern cracker" (The Ballot or the Bullet). I'm not here to try and change your religion. Douglass received an invitation to speak at a Fourth of July celebration in his hometown, and the speech he gave called out the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom as a country while millions of its residents are enslaved. 5- Parallelism: Wrapping Up. Only members can read the full content. We've got to change our own minds about each other. Narrator and Point of View Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view. African Americans have a constitutional right to own guns and defend themselves from being attacked by the white man. The media misconstrued Malcolm X's calls for self-defense as calls for violence. The uses emotional appeals are featured in paragraphs 11-14. [21], Malcolm X referred to "the type of Black man on the scene in America today [who] doesn't intend to turn the other cheek any longer",[9] and warned that if politicians failed to keep their promises to African Americans, they made violence inevitable:[22]. He calls out America's double standards and wants the world to see the reality behind the mask of its ideals. Malcolm X emphasizes Black Nationalism as a way to help African Americans gain political, economic, and social control over their communities. Malcolm provides an economic summary of black nationalism: African-Americans should buy from African-American owned and operated businesses so as to feed the prosperity of their own communities and lift the levelto a higher levelso that we will be satisfied in our own circles and wont be running around here to knock our way into a social circle where were not wanted. This economic attitude is in keeping with the larger social and political attitudes of separatism that marked black nationalism, which claimed that integration would only result in further oppression of black peoples and advocated, as the name suggests, for entirely separate and self-governed communities. What parts of African American society did Malcolm X want them to control? The white supremacist system is the antagonist. In these opening paragraphs, Malcolm X calls for increased political participation and awareness in the black community. He explains that he does not subscribe to either the Democratic or the Republican party, because he considers himself a victim of Americas so-called democracy. For African-Americans, there is no American dream, only an American nightmare. . given on July 5, 1852. It's either a ballot or a bullet. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. . True. In America at the time The Ballot or the Bullet was given, segregation was still occurring. "The Ballot or the Bullet," a famous civil rights speech delivered by Malcolm X Malcolm X religious beliefs had caused controversy within the Black community. Malcolm asserts that he and other African Americans are not Americans because they are fighting for the rights that other Americans already have. Through his triumph and survival of the murder of his father in 1931 when he was six years old, but also educating himself in prison which he was in for seven years from the ages 21-28 (Draper 7).With this story, it inspired people in the various ethnic communities, and neighborhoods. More books than SparkNotes. These tools make The Ballot or the Bullet more memorable and help the speaker maintain his audiences attention. Malcolm . Anything can sit. Analyzes how malcolm used parallelism to establish credibility amongst his predominately christian audience by . Malcolm X was a civil rights leader and part of The Nation of Islam. This resource includes the annotated text of Malcolm X's famous "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. [5] The Nation of Islam, which advocated on behalf of African Americans, had significant disagreements with the Civil Rights Movement. Religious differences, he worries, might hinder solidarity in the African-American community. Create flashcards in notes completely automatically. "I'm not here tonight to discuss my religion. driving, working feverishly, pushing, building. Directly or indirectly labeling those against you in a negative way. Civil Rights Activist, Malcolm X, in his speech "The Ballot or The Bullet" addressed the issue that the black community needs to take action about how the government treats them unfairly. What are the main points of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? Coversational/familiar language particular to a particular region or dialect. I'm not here to argue or discuss anything that we differ about,", "I'm not a politician, not even a student of politics; in fact, I'm not a student of much of anything. . The Ballot or the bullet Malcolm X Cory Methodist Church Cleveland, Ohio April 3, 1964 Garret Feucht COM 250 - Prof. Heins 10/29/15 Garret Feucht COM 250 - Prof. Heins 10/29/15 (Daniels, 2014) The Ballot or the Bullet is the title of one of the many speeches given by human rights activist Malcolm X. Although their outspoken beliefs in self-defense and gun ownership branded them a militant group, they created much-needed social programs for their communities, such as health clinics and free breakfast programs. It was ranked 7th in the top 100 speeches of the 20th century. Malcolm X uses a combination of logic and emotion to appeal to his audience. He explains to the black community that they the government hold their rights to vote because the senators fear that if the Negros are allowed to vote those senators will become powerless. Let it be the ballot or the bullet. 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X thinks African Americans should separate from white America and form their own institutions perpetuate the image of the community...
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