Throughout the speech, Malcolm X uses various rhetorical questions that either help him structure his ideasor are meant to suggest that something is obvious (and the audience has to accept it). [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. In 1964, it's the ballot or the bullet. And where you and I are concerned, not only do we lose it when we spend it out of the community, but the white man has got all our stores in the community tied up; so that though we spend it in the community, at sundown the man who runs the store takes it over across town somewhere. 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. Your vote, your dumb vote, your ignorant vote, your wasted vote put administration in Washington D.C. His repetition of your followed by a negative adjective and vote made his parallel structure apparent he used your to throw shade on african americans and how they complain about our white presidents. For instance he describes the African population in America as "Africans who are in America." . Example: (Your, Youre\underline{\textit{You're}}Youre) surprised that I knew that Notah Begay won a PGA golf tournament in 1999. Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes. _____Cole had all *ready *toasted the bagels by the time his parents woke up. Only members can read the full content. 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. The first 45 seconds of "The Ballot or the Bullet" as given April 12, 1964 in Detroit. Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet. "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. Earlier in the year, Malcolm X, once an outspoken follower of Elijah Muhammed, declared his separation from the Nation of Islam and realigned himself with 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. As a result, they began to lose hope that non-violent intervention was a reasonable goal. Not affiliated with Harvard College. "No, no, we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down, In some ways, he was this town at its best-- strong, hard-. That old Uncle Tom action is outdated. Words: 732 - Pages: 3 Premium Essay Malcolm X's The Ballot Or The Bullet . 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 did not believe the Democrats wanted to help African Americans achieve equal rights. What is Malcolm X's rhetorical strategy in The Ballot or the Bullet? 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. Malcolm speaks from a personal perspective. Will you pass the quiz? [6], Malcolm also chose not to discuss the religious differences that divide Muslims and Christians, a common theme of his speeches when he was the spokesman for the Nation of Islam. 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. In frequenting stores not owned by an African-American, the money is given to another community. Term Our faith is sure, our resolve is firm, and our union is strong. As such, African-Americans must endeavor to educate themselves on which politicians will best serve the aims of the civil rights movement. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. [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. 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. What is the tone of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? Sit-ins are disempowering because they perpetuate the image of the African-American community as cowardly and weak. You can subscribe to whichever religious beliefs youd like, and remain a member of whichever civic organizations youd like. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. 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.. 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. Instead, he was going to emphasize the common experience of African Americans of all faiths:[8]. Tell him, don't wait until election time. "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. Due to the fear of severe punishment, blacks were scared to fight for equality; however, on April 3, 1964 in Cleveland, Ohio, one brave soul finally did. Let the world know how bloody his hands are. 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. Gradesaver has a complete summary of "The Ballot of the Bullet" speech readily available in its study guide for this unit. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. 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. Compared to whom we are now. I'm not here to try and change your religion. Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view. If gaming the political system doesnt work, he recommends African-Americans turn to outright revolution. 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. If the word is correct, write C./ "[30] These changes expanded his appeal, therefore expanding his audience, illustrating his ability to use the freedom he found after separating from the Nation of Islam to his advantage in advancing himself as a member of the Civil Rights Movement. An old woman can sit. After Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson threw his support behind the civil rights bill. If the ballot doesn't work, Malcolm X says, then African-Americans will have to resort to the bullet. The dollar is taken from the African-American community and given to outsiders. Correct the word in italics. We ourselves have to lift the level of our community to a higher level, make our own society beautiful so that we will be satisfied in our own circles and won't be running around here try to knock our way into a social circle where we're not wanted. The white community is divided by its party affiliations, and as such, elections are often so close that there is cause for a recount. "The Ballot or The Bullet" was a speech by Malcolm X mostly about black nationalism delivered April 12, 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. In 1964 there was going to be a presidential election. The mood oscillates between despair, anger, and hope. 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. How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? [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. It outlawed segregation. "The Ballot or the Bullet" opens by addressing the differences in religious beliefs that divide the African-American community. Antithesis refers to creating contrast between ideas, concepts, or people to maintain the audiences attention and to emphasize an idea thespeakersupports. Southern Democrats had promised to oppose the bill. "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans because the media misconstrued Malcolm X's message of self-defense as a call for violence. The repetition of the phrase the ballot or the bullet shows how that community of people feel about change. "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. Selecciona la palabra que no est relacionada. [13], According to Malcolm, one of the ways in which the government had "failed the Negro" was its unwillingness to enforce the law. Freedom or civil rebellion Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet.. Best study tips and tricks for your exams. The Black Panther Party was organized in 1966 in California to combat police brutality, and it eventually spread to many other parts of the country. That is they have been politically informed then they will recognize that each election will end with the same outcome. ", 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). The young generation don't want to hear anything about the odds are against us. This marks a meaningful divide between Malcolm Xs ethos and the ethos of the Nation of Islam. Instead, he said, the Democrats blamed the Dixiecrats, who were "nothing but Democrat[s] in disguise". Malcolm X warns African-Americans against the white politicians that will come into their communities (for the first and last time, he suggests) and make false promises of equality. It doesnt matter, he says, if you go to jail, because black people are already there. driving, working feverishly, pushing, building. Don't be throwing out any ballots. An old man can sit. It's either a ballot or a bullet. 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. 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. 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. He accused the Democrats of playing a "political con game", with African Americans as its victims. 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. 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