It was very influential speech that . His black protectionist outlook called separation instead of unity and equality. In one of many clever turns of phrase, Malcolm employs both humor and repetition to rename the situation facing African-Americans as an American nightmare.. X's purpose is to awaken the black . Let it be the ballot or the bullet. The purpose was to allow black people to realize the events that were happening in their lives. We have to see each other as brothers and sisters. ambitions so big they seemed Texas-boastful. 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. On the other hand, "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans. The Ballot or the Bullet is a speech delivered by Malcolm X in 1964. Why did Malcolm X say was 1964 an important year for African Americans? This resource includes the annotated text of Malcolm X's famous "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? 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. You don't throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not within your reach, keep your ballot in your pocket. The white supremacist system is the antagonist. By registering you get free access to our website and app (available on desktop AND mobile) which will help you to super-charge your learning process. Second-class citizenship, such as is held by the African-American community, is tantamount to 20th-century slavery, says Malcolm. The Question and Answer section for The Ballot or the Bullet is a great He came back to America with renewed purpose and a new perspective that redefined racism as an American rather than a black versus white problem. "The Ballot or the Bullet" discusses the power of the African American vote and charges the United States government with conspiring against allowing African Americans to achieve their due rights. True. ", "As they nourish these dissatisfactions, it can only lead to one thing, an explosion;", extreme exaggeration of something that in reality may be quite logical to prove a point, "If the late President Kennedy could get together with Khrushchev and exchange some wheat, we certainly have more in common with each other than Kennedy and Khrushchev had with each other. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is the title of a public speech by human rights activist Malcolm X. GradeSaver "The Ballot or the Bullet Literary Elements". Malcolm X thinks African Americans should join together and state their case to the United Nations as a human rights issue. StudySmarter is commited to creating, free, high quality explainations, opening education to all. In response to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, Malcolm X delivered a speech entitled "The Ballot or the Bullet". Let it be the ballot or the bullet. Insulting his listener is meant to stoke the listeners sense of anger and injustice, and therefore to provoke him into more direct action against white supremacy than the peaceful protests advocated for by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are able to do. wordsthat inspire deeply negative or deeply positive reactions. Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes. Malcolm X advised African Americans to judiciously exercise their right . Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persnlichen Lernstatistiken. These tools make The Ballot or the Bullet more memorable and help the speaker maintain his audiences attention. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is the title of a public speech by human rights activist Malcolm X.In the speech, which was delivered on two occasions the first being April 3, 1964, at the Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio and the second being on April 12th 1964 at the King Solomon Baptist Church, in Detroit, Michigan. The Nation of Islam, as led by Elijah Muhammed, forbade its members from participating in political processes. His subject was Negro rights, and he was speaking to the African American population. They will get change one way or another. White men won't even patronize you. A photograph of legislators and civil rights leaders looking on as Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964, pixabay. African Americans have a constitutional right to own guns and defend themselves from being attacked by the white man. The political philosophy is self-government. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. 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. [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 states that African Americans continue to struggle because the Democrats and Republicans work together to deny African Americans their rights. What is meant by "the ballot or the bullet"? This is meant to send a warning to the American government, cautioning them that African Americans are willin. 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. . Unlike the 1963 March on Washington, which was peaceful and integrated, the 1964 march Malcolm described would be an all-Black "non-nonviolent army" with one-way tickets. In its advocacy of voting, "The Ballot or the Bullet" presented ideas opposite to those of the Nation of Islam, which forbade its members from participating in the political process. In "The Ballot or the Bullet," Malcolm X clarifies that African Americans have no inherent bias toward the white man; they are "anti-exploitation . Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view. What are the main points of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? I think the title suggests an ultimatum between voting or violence, and one action or the other is to be done depending on how the government will handle the case. Imagine living in a world of segregation - constantly judged by color of ones skin and not being permitted to associate with the superior race. Malcolm X juxtaposes black nationalism with the non-violent philosophy of advocates like Martin Luther King Jr., who favor peaceful protest, which Malcolm denounces as passive. Whether you're educated or illiterate, whether you live on the boulevard or in the alley, you're going to catch hell just like I am. Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet."( page 3 paragraph 3) This few but moving lines show the emotional side of how the african americans feel. Create flashcards in notes completely automatically. Dixicrats: a southern segregationist faction of the Democratic Party. This downplaying of his religion reverberates in the context of a speech advocating for political engagement. In "The Ballot or the Bullet", Malcolm chose not to discuss religion but rather to stress the experiences common to African Americans of all backgrounds. Everything that came out of Europe, every blue-eyed thing, is already an American. Civil rights leaders questioned whether the messages in "The Ballot or the Bullet" were shared in the most effective manner. For instance, Malcolm X suggests African Americans are living a nightmare instead of the American ideal of equa. He also delivered the speech about a week later in Detroit, Michigan, on April 12, 1964. Acknowledge and refute opponent's argument. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. 1964, against a backdrop of segregation and social unrest. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is listed as one of the most important speeches Malcolm X ever gave because: One of them makes believe he's for you, and he's got it fixed where the other one is so tight against you, he never has to keep his promise. In the speech, he uses colorful language and straight talk to drive his messages surrounding voting rights, self-defense, and what he believed were worthwhile goals of the Civil Rights Movement home to his audience. ", "He made a chump out of you. Free and expert-verified textbook solutions. 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. It can be argued that groups such as The Black Panthers, who adopted many of the beliefs in "The Ballot or the Bullet," were formed due to this speech. "Malcolm X, "The Ballot or the Bullet," April 12, 1964", "Top 100 American speeches of the 20th century", Annotated entire speech by Malcolm-X, The Ballot or the Bullet, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Ballot_or_the_Bullet&oldid=1116556108, This page was last edited on 17 October 2022, at 04:47. However, he clarifies that they have yet to see the America dream but only to experience the American nightmare (para 11). The early 1960s shocked the nation with multiple reports of violence against African Americans. "The Ballot or the Bullet" has several purposes, a well-defined audience, and several rhetorical devices like logos. Rhetorical Analysis Of 'The Ballot Or The Bullet'. X was a black civil rights activist who played a huge role in the black community during the mid 20th century. They're all in cahoots together". Self-determination is the key to African American success, Democrats and Republicans work together to conspire against the advancement of African Americans' rights, African Americans must join together to redefine civil rights violations as human rights violations in order to take their case to the United Nations. Despite their religious, differences, they came together. [15] He said that the people of the developing world were "sitting there waiting to throw their weight on our side" if the fight for civil rights were expanded into a human rights struggle. As such, African-Americans must endeavor to educate themselves on which politicians will best serve the aims of the civil rights movement. By contrast, Martin Luther King Jr. advocates for an engagement of Civil Disobedience by calling for nonviolent direct action which allows for African Americans to be heard by forcing their, How Does Malcolm X Use Ethos In The Ballot Or The Bullet, The Ballot or the Bullet is a speech delivered by Malcolm X in 1964. Malcolm X was no banal man he was a extravagant civil rights speaker, he showed the truth on how coming together can put the end to African American indifference. Malcolm X frequently uses provocative language to incite anger in his audience, as is evident in his accusation that the white man has made a fool out of you. Here, he is utilizing the rhetorical device of pathos, or appealing to the audiences emotions, to his advantage. Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates. We have to come together with warmth so we can develop unity and harmony that's necessary to get this problem solved ourselves. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is delivered in an urgent and angry tone. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the age of 40. Malcolm X uses rhetorical techniques to persuade his audience to push for equality between races. He notes that politicians are more aware of this fact than African Americans, so they tell African Americans whatever will secure their vote. Examining Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Malcolm X's "BAllot or the Bullet" speech. The tone is provocative and righteous. Religious differences, he worries, might hinder solidarity in the African-American community. (Malcolm X) Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925. . Instead of promoting peace to solve problems, Malcolm X used violence when necessary to get his points across to his audience. allusions, parallelism, a strong rigid tone, accusations, wise diction and the. Although "The Ballot or the Bullet" advocates self-defense, it discusses non-violent ways of achieving equal rights for African Americans. In "The Ballot or the Bullet," Malcolm outlines the power of the African American vote, saying, "when white people are evenly divided, and black people have a bloc of votes of their own, it is left up to them to determine who's going to sit in the White House." Also, his teachings were able to connect to a wide audience and allow them to even set aside their differences to focus on the information Malcolm talks about. An analogy is a form ofcomparison through which a speaker wants to show similarities or differences between people and events. Nie wieder prokastinieren mit unseren Lernerinnerungen. 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. He accused the Democrats of playing a "political con game", with African Americans as its victims. The uses emotional appeals are featured in paragraphs 11-14. ", 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). Through repetition of inflammatory phrases and accusatory diction both which create appeals to anger, Malcolm X effectively persuades his audience during The Ballot Or The Bullet.. How does Malcolm X think the civil rights problem should be solved? The Ballot or the Bullet Analysis Jasmine Grant Jackson State University By Any Means Necessary! He made a fool out of you. He praises the idea that they had let the government blind them for a way too long. It means that when white people are evenly divided, and Black people have a bloc of votes of their own, it is left up to them to determine who's going to sit in the White House and who's going to be in the dog house. That old Uncle Tom action is outdated. Malcolm speaks from a personal perspective. Some of them were, some were atheists. parallelism in the ballot or the bullet. 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. When a racial powder keg goes off, it doesn't care who it knocks out of the way. 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. ", "And until we become politically mature we will always be mislead, lead astray, or deceived or maneuvered into supporting someone politically who doesn't have the good of our community at heart. . Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Putting normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases together to generate a new/interseting effect. In doing so, the African-American community loses money and becomes poorer while the community the dollar was given to gains money and becomes richer. [9] He said that President Johnson and the Democratic Party claimed to support the civil rights bill, and the Democrats controlled both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but they had not taken genuine action to pass the bill. "Those Honkies that just got off the boat, they're already Americans; Polacks are already Americans; the Italian refugees are already Americans. Malcolm X wa the leading black figure in the American Civil Rights movement advocating for a stronger even violent response to White American apathy of black rights. [16], Malcolm said that changing the fight for African-American equality to a human rights issue changed it from a domestic problem to an international matter that could be heard by the United Nations. Because election time is a time where the black community is taken advantage of; Malcolm X addresses the issue about the legislation civil rights with defines the right to guarantee the voting rights to the Negros within the states. Instead, he said, the Democrats blamed the Dixiecrats, who were "nothing but Democrat[s] in disguise". Malcolm X begins "The Ballot or the Bullet" by announcing that he'll explain what he believes the next steps of the Civil Rights Movement should be. Malcolm's purpose was to emphasize the idea that the black community needs to be . Rhetorical Analysis Of 'The Ballot Or The Bullet', 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. April 8, 2021; energy difference between n=1 and n=2 in joules. [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. Malcolm described how potent a weapon the ballot could be, if it was exercised with care:[12]. Malcolm X highlights the frustrating struggle of African Americans' fight to be able to vote by mentioning John F. Kennedy's desire to force Cuba to have democratic elections. 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. He emphasizes that the Negro vote is the key factor (para 12) that it is the only reason why they Democratic Party is a part of the government. According to Malcolm X, 1964 is the year of the ballot or the bullet not only because it is the year of what he considers a failed march on Washington, but because it is an election year, and because there is a new generation of African-Americans who are no longer willing to be subjugated. I'm not a Republican,", repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, repitition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next clause, using either a familiar object or idea to compare to a less familiar idea to help the listener/reader understand, OR using a well-accepted favorable idea to compare with a less-favorable one to gain audience approval or vice versa, contrast of ideas created through parallel construction of opposite words, phrases, or clauses, "Whether we are Christians or Muslims or nationalists or agnostics or atheists" (The Ballot or the Bullet). It doesnt matter, he says, if you go to jail, because black people are already there. He encouraged the black community to get involved in voter registration and voting . 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. On April 3, 1964 Malcolm X delivered one of the most empowering speeches in American history. Let him go in there right now and take a moral stand right now, not later. Littles speech has a significant lack of logic; although, it is a clever move to predominantly use emotional appeal due to his motive - to incite anger in America and to showcase the government's faults. Meanwhile, the American dream of equal opportunity is not one that applies to African-Americans. driving, working feverishly, pushing, building. The white man didnt know what he was doing when he let black children read about liberty or death in his history books, he says. He used ethos, pathos, and logos to gain the audience's trust and appeal to them both emotionally and logically, in order to inspire them to fight back. the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. 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