Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in 1838 and eventually became a respected statesman and advisor to Abraham Lincoln. "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. For example, the speaker uses the metaphor of a boat to suggest that all African Americans (regardless of religion) are victims of discrimination and oppression: We're. 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. Malcolm X speech was not a success because he made the Nation of Islam a regular group, which devoted limitless acts of violence and hate, giving the federal more validation to dissociate and categorize African Americans. Malcolm X's "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech was a powerful call to action for African Americans to take a more militant approach to the civil rights movement. He likens his status as a Muslim to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s as a Christian, knowing that in the past, his own religious affiliation has been a point of contention; he and Dr. King may have different ways of worshipping, but they are both known as civil rights leaders. Rhetorical Analysis Of The Ballot Or The Bullet. The Question and Answer section for The Ballot or the Bullet is a great anti-degradation . of the users don't pass the Ballot or the Bullet quiz! If the ballot doesn't work, Malcolm X says, then African-Americans will have to resort to the bullet. His name was Malcolm Little (known as Malcolm X), a widely acknowledged human rights activist. Why does Malcolm X say he and other African Americans are not really Americans? In The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X advocates for racial, economic, and social justice through the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, more black voting control, and more black local control through any means possible, including violence and the threat of it. 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. An old man can sit. With the help of properly chosen stylistic means, Malcolm X was able to create a powerful speech and become a famous figure in American history. Whereas the Civil Rights Movement advocated on behalf of integration and against segregation, the Nation of Islam favored separatism. The mood oscillates between despair, anger, and hope. Correct the word in italics. ", " And in 1964 you'll see this young black man, this new generation asking for the ballot or bullet. Directly or indirectly labeling those against you in a negative way. Some of them were Christians. repetition of the first word of a clause at the end of the same clause, intentional repitition of 3 or more consanant sounds among nearby words, "If we don't do something real soon, I think you'll have to agree that we're going to be forced either to use 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. Malcolm speaks out to all who are willing to obtain their civil rights.In Ballot or Bullet Malcolm X uses Anaphora, Antithesis, Ethical Appeal, Word choice, and Rhetorical question to show the lack of support from government and how coming together can help fight back. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is delivered in an urgent and angry tone. Putting normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases together to generate a new/interseting effect. Their eyes are coming open. We have to see each other as brothers and sisters. In the speech "The Ballot or the Bullet" Malcolm X utilizes antithesis, allusion, and metaphors in order to convince his audience to take a stand against segregation whether peacefully, if possible, and if not, by force. The speech was strong and inspiring, and because it was combined with his confident and sturdy speaking, he came off as a respectable and intelligent leader who knows what he wants, Malcolm X evokes emotion with the use of objectification, by specifying particular instances of exploitation, degradation, and oppression that the black community has faced. . Both speakers use pattern of three to make their speeches effective, memorable and persuading. That right there castrates you. This government has failed the Negro". Besides, in Malcolm X biography, I learnt that, an extraordinary person has an extraordinary characteristics. He was also muslim. Sit-ins are disempowering because they perpetuate the image of the African-American community as cowardly and weak. 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. Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet. The first 45 seconds of "The Ballot or the Bullet" as given April 12, 1964 in Detroit. . He points out that if the government can't bring whoever killed "four little girls while they were praying" to justice, then it is either unwilling to help them or entirely incapable. Everything that came out of Europe, every blue-eyed thing, is already an American. 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. On April 3, 1964 Malcolm X delivered one of the most empowering speeches in American history. "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans because the media misconstrued Malcolm X's message of self-defense as a call for violence. A march led by the Black Panthers, Wikimedia Commons. We have to come together with warmth so we can develop unity and harmony that's necessary to get this problem solved ourselves. 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). The white supremacist system is the antagonist. Malcolm X invokes one American dream while condemning another. Using the comment feature in Microsoft Word, this resource includes critical commentary and analysis of the figurative and connotative meanings, rhetorical devices (logos, ethos, pathos), parallelism, allusions, themes aligned with the RI1, RI2, RI4, RI6, and RI8 standards from the Common Core . "The Ballot or the Bullet" was delivered at a church in Cleveland, Ohio, to a crowd that included African Americans and white Americans. He was also muslim. Malcolm X delivered "The Ballot or the Bullet" shortly before leaving the United States to travel through North Africa and the Middle East. Let the world know the hypocrisy that's practiced over here. What is meant by "the ballot or the bullet"? . Term Our faith is sure, our resolve is firm, and our union is strong. 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. An analogy is a form ofcomparison through which a speaker wants to show similarities or differences between people and events. It's either a ballot or a bullet. Second-class citizenship, such as is held by the African-American community, is tantamount to 20th-century slavery, says Malcolm. This speech is in the public domain. Well, you and I been sitting long enough, he claims, and its time for us today to start doing some standing and some fighting to back that up.. What are the main points of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? His subject was Negro rights, and he was speaking to the African American population. One of the goals of the Civil Rights Movement was to end disenfranchisement of African Americans, but the Nation of Islam forbade its members from participating in the political process. He also explains that if the government continues to take away the rights of African-Americans, that the entire population of African-Americans should take up arms. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Publicly, his criticisms of the system fell on mostly deaf ears. 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. 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 began his speech by analyzing his audience and declaring that it is time to decide whether to vote, With this discussion, he uses the appeal to pathos. Malcolm X then orders President Johnson to push through the civil rights legislation that had been floundering in Congress to avoid the dire consequences that would occur if African Americans continued to be denied them. Then you wonder why where you live is always a ghetto or a slum area. Malcolm X uses "if-then" statements and examples designed to evoke emotion to appeal to his audience. Although he advocated exercising the ballot, Malcolm X expressed skepticism that voting would bring about full equality for African Americans. X was a black civil rights activist who played a huge role in the black community during the mid 20th century. You can't open up a black store in a white community. [21] He advised his listeners to be mindful of the law "This doesn't mean you're going to get a rifle and form battalions and go out looking for white folks that would be illegal and we don't do anything illegal" but he said that if white people didn't want African Americans to arm themselves, the government should do its job. It outlawed segregation. What X was trying to instill into the minds of his blacks was to be their own person. 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". Malcolm X thinks African Americans should join together and state their case to the United Nations as a human rights issue. A ballot is like a bullet. Ballot or the Bullet Ballot or the Bullet American Drama A Raisin in the Sun Aeschylus Amiri Baraka Antigone Arcadia Tom Stoppard August Wilson Cat on a Hot Tin Roof David Henry Hwang Dutchman Edward Albee Eugene O'Neill Euripides European Drama Fences August Wilson Goethe Faust Hedda Gabler Henrik Ibsen Jean Paul Sartre Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Let it be the ballot or the bullet. Let the world know how bloody his hands are. When a racial powder keg goes off, it doesn't care who it knocks out of the way. In this speech, Malcolm stresses the need for the population of African American voters to increase in order to fight for equality. 1964, against a backdrop of segregation and social unrest. In America at the time The Ballot or the Bullet was given, segregation was still occurring. George Washington and Patrick Henry didnt win the American revolution, the soldiers did. It's time now for you and me to become more politically mature and realize what the ballot is for; what we're supposed to get when we cast a ballot; and that if we don't cast a ballot, it's going to end up in a situation where we're going to have to cast a bullet. Malcolm X delivered "The Ballot or the Bullet" to foster a relationship with other civil rights leaders and announce his desire to work with all groups of African Americans after leaving the Nation of Islam. I'm not a Democrat. How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? [23], But, Malcolm said, there was still time to prevent this situation from developing:[23]. "Those Honkies that just got off the boat, they're already Americans; Polacks are already Americans; the Italian refugees are already Americans. ", a form of verbal irony generally intened as a witty insult. The current dispute mandate runs out on 6 May, and so the new ballot will run from 20 March until 9 May. "The Ballot or the Bullet" further indicates a shift in Malcolm X's rhetoric, as his separation from the Nation of Islam and new, unfettered public activism prompted a change in the ways he addressed his audience. Cone, pp. JCBEdPRO. Gradesaver has a complete summary of "The Ballot of the Bullet" speech readily available in its study guide for this unit. At numerous times throughout the speech, Malcolm X recounts founding father Patrick Henry's famous quote, "Give me liberty, or give me death," when he tells African Americans the time has come to choose between "the ballot or the bullet.". Malcolm X uses rhetorical techniques to persuade his audience to push for equality between races. It's time for us to submerge our differences and realize that it is best for us to first see that we have the same problem, a common problem a problem that will make you catch hell whether you're a Baptist, or a Methodist, or a Muslim, or a nationalist. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is a speech that Malcolm X first delivered at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 3, 1964. We've got to change our own minds about each other. It was the third bombing in 11 days after Birmingham received a federal order to integrate its schools. 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. By the same token, the time when that same white man, knowing that your eyes are too far open, can send another negro into the community and get you and me to support him so he can use him to lead us astray- those days are long gone too. They will get change one way or another. In addition, Malcolm X intended his characteristic use of language and imagery to disguise his conceptions of society and history[28] in new ways to put issues into his perspective for his audience and inspire activism. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. [3][4], On March 8, 1964, Malcolm X announced his separation from the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist religious organization for which he had been the spokesman for nearly a decade. This guide is based on the latter version of this speech. If gaming the political system doesnt work, he recommends African-Americans turn to outright revolution. 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]. He acknowledges that they black people have the power to determine who is in office and who is not. His views in this speech reflect the beliefs he held before completing his Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. The text shown above is just an extract. 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. Create beautiful notes faster than ever before. At the same time, the speech indicated that Malcolm still supported Black nationalism and self-defense and thus had not made a complete break with his past. White men won't even patronize you. He is not here today to discuss his relationship with God, but to speak about black nationalism. He argued that the ballot was the only way to achieve true and lasting change, but that the government had to be willing to protect the rights of African Americans. Malcolm asserts that he and other African Americans are not Americans because they are fighting for the rights that other Americans already have. The tone is provocative and righteous. Instead of promoting peace to solve problems, Malcolm X used violence when necessary to get his points across to his audience. Nothing but Africans." "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. Zip. Let him go in there right now and take a moral stand right now, not later. Malcolm X addressed the issue of "rifles and shotguns", a controversy that had dogged him since his March 8 announcement that he had left the Nation of Islam. Analyzes how malcolm used parallelism to establish credibility amongst his predominately christian audience by . Whenever you are going after something that is yours, you are within your legal rights to lay claim to it. Although he supported black equality, he attacked the problem unlike others such as Martin Luther King Jr. did. Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Carol Denise McNair were killed when a bomb detonated in Birmingham, Alabama, in the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963. Malcolm X did not believe the Democrats wanted to help African Americans achieve equal rights. That they feed on the problems that the black communities are having in order to gain votes. 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. Upload unlimited documents and save them online. Free and expert-verified textbook solutions. Parallelism Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them. Let it be the ballot or the bullet. 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. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. He made a fool out of you. Will you pass the quiz? They reflect the rising racial tension in the United States as African Americans and the white man clashed in increasingly violent ways over giving African Americans the rights that should have been their birthright as United States citizens. intentional repetition of 3 or more vowel sounds among nearby words. In the speech, Malcolm X states, "It isn't that time is running out time has run out." "The Ballot or the Bullet" is a speech made by Malcolm X in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 3, 1964. African Americans have a constitutional right to own guns and defend themselves from being attacked by the white man. In these opening paragraphs, Malcolm X calls for increased political participation and awareness in the black community. Due to the lack of government the dichotomy between african americans and the white men was still a major problem ; as African americans needed to put and end to the separation and earn civil rights. [25], One biographer notes that Malcolm was one of the first African-American leaders to note the existence and growing influence of Black nationalism among young civil rights activists.[26]. In 1964 there was going to be a presidential election. 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. April 8, 2021; energy difference between n=1 and n=2 in joules. Understand this, it's dangerous. 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. X was trying to instill into the minds of his blacks was to be a presidential.. 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