"The Ballot or the Bullet" also marked a notable shift in Malcolm X's rhetoric, as he presented previously undiscussed ways of looking at the relationship between blacks and whites. This downplaying of his religion reverberates in the context of a speech advocating for political engagement. Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet.. driving, working feverishly, pushing, building. Cone, pp. Rhetorical devices in The Ballot or the Bullet [ 0] 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. Correct the word in italics. intentional repetition of 3 or more vowel sounds among nearby words. Malcolm X uses "if-then" statements and examples designed to evoke emotion to appeal to his audience. 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.. 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. 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. Let the world know the hypocrisy that's practiced over here. Let the world know how bloody his hands are. In America at the time The Ballot or the Bullet was given, segregation was still occurring. Whereas the Civil Rights Movement advocated on behalf of integration and against segregation, the Nation of Islam favored separatism. For instance he describes the African population in America as "Africans who are in America." . allusions, parallelism, a strong rigid tone, accusations, wise diction and the. Malcolm wants the audiences to understand they have the power to change America or still continue to allow the government to control. As a result, they began to lose hope that non-violent intervention was a reasonable goal. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. A photograph of legislators and civil rights leaders looking on as Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964, pixabay. The purpose was to allow black people to realize the events that were happening in their lives. . "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans because the media misconstrued Malcolm X's message of self-defense as a call for violence. Don't be throwing out any ballots. How does Malcolm X think the civil rights problem should be solved? 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. 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. 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. "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. symbolism What is the central message behind the title? Acknowledge and refute opponent's argument. 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. 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". . A fight for civil rights was a domestic matter, and "no one from the outside world can speak out in your behalf as long as your struggle is a civil-rights struggle". What is the tone of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Malcolm uses emotions because he wants the audience to feel the events in America especially when it comes the time to vote. What X was trying to instill into the minds of his blacks was to be their own person. "Those Honkies that just got off the boat, they're already Americans; Polacks are already Americans; the Italian refugees are already Americans. Originally obtained from. For example, in the third paragraph of the excerpt, X strikes a blow at the government which [deprives the black community] of [their] voting rights, economic opportunities, housing, and, On April 12, 1964, Malcom X gives The Ballot or the Bullet speech at Cory Methodist Church in Detroit, Michigan. Only members can read the full content. As such, African-Americans must endeavor to educate themselves on which politicians will best serve the aims of the civil rights movement. 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. Be perfectly prepared on time with an individual plan. He explains to the crowd that self-determination is the key to success. The Ballot or the Bullet, Part 2 Summary and Analysis. He made a fool out of you. Whenever you are going after something that is yours, you are within your legal rights to lay claim to it. 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. "The Ballot or the Bullet" has several purposes, a well-defined audience, and several rhetorical devices like logos. For example, the speaker uses sarcasm to suggest that European immigrants are better treated than African Americans: Everything that came out of Europe, every blue-eyed thing, is already an American., Repetition is one of Malcolm Xs favorite rhetorical devices. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring! Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in 1838 and eventually became a respected statesman and advisor to Abraham Lincoln. Upload unlimited documents and save them online. [24], When Malcolm X spoke of "the type of Black man on the scene in America today [who] doesn't intend to turn the other cheek any longer",[9] he was addressing his followers, people who were not advocates of the non-violent approach generally favored by the Civil Rights Movement. (The Ballot or the Bullet) Definition Parallelism (Repitition) Intentional repitition of the same grammatical structure, which may also include a repeated word or phrase, in the same structural position at least three times in nearby sentences or segments of a sentence. Malcolm X, a Muslim, credits Elijah Muhammed, the leader of the Nation of Islam, with making him into the man he is today. Religious differences, he worries, might hinder solidarity in the African-American community. What do we care about odds? [and] anti-oppression" and that, if white Americans take issue with being considered a problem, all they have to do is stop treating African Americans in those ways. However, he clarifies that they have yet to see the America dream but only to experience the American nightmare (para 11). "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 X fills his speech with imagery (mental images) that has a strong emotional impact, created with the help of metaphors and similes. 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. You can't open up a black store in a white community. On the other hand, "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans. The ballot or the bullet Malcolm X during his speech of the ballot or the bullet was the fullest declaration of his black nationalism philosophy. I'm nonviolent with those who are nonviolent with me. 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. In "The Ballot or the Bullet," Malcolm X clarifies that African Americans have no inherent bias toward the white man; they are "anti-exploitation . We've got to change our own minds about each other. ", "They don't hang you because you're a Baptist; they hang you 'CAUSE YOU'RE BLACK. In frequenting stores not owned by an African-American, the money is given to another community. 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. Their eyes are coming open. Antithesis refers to creating contrast between ideas, concepts, or people to maintain the audiences attention and to emphasize an idea thespeakersupports. What does this mean? [6], When he left the Nation of Islam, Malcolm declared his willingness to cooperate with the Civil Rights Movement. This resource includes the annotated text of Malcolm X's famous "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. 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. Which means a segregationist is breaking the law. This resource includes the annotated text of Malcolm X's famous "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the age of 40. balanced sentence), comparision of two unlike things using "like" or as", deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses, "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. It's either a ballot or a bullet. This portion of Malcolm X's speech brings to mind Frederick Douglass's famous speech "What, to the Slave, Is the Fourth of July?" Work Cited "Malcolm X: The Ballot or the Bullet." American Public Media . He observes that the United States has reached its boiling point, demonstrated by the increasing use of weapons in confrontations. On April 3, 1964, human rights activist Malcolm X gave the speech "The Ballot or the Bullet." The speech was . Civil rights leaders questioned whether the messages in "The Ballot or the Bullet" were shared in the most effective manner. A ballot is like a bullet. He states that African Americans continue to struggle because the Democrats and Republicans work together to deny African Americans their rights. ", a form of verbal irony generally intened as a witty insult. ", "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. Coversational/familiar language particular to a particular region or dialect. He appeals to the crowd's sense of pride, telling them that their children won't respect them if they don't take a stand against the white man. As a member of PrimeStudyGuides.com, you get access to all of the content. A chump can sit. He encouraged the black community to get involved in voter registration and voting . ", "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. Rhetorical Analysis Of 'The Ballot Or The Bullet'. ", "Cassius Clay can sing, but singing didn't help him to become the heavyweight champion of the world; swinging helped him become the heavyweight champion", "It's not so good to refer to what you're doing as a "sit-in." Inherent: an adjective describing something of a central and permanent nature. As one can probably tell from the title, Malcolm X is attempting to convince African American citizens to actively exercise their right to vote. In a speech on May 18, 1858, Abraham Lincoln said, "To give victory to the right, not bloody bullets, but peaceful ballots only are necessary. the democrats were in control of the house of representatives and the senate. ", 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). 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. We [Muslim Mosque, Inc.] become involved with anybody, any where, any time and in any manner that's designed to eliminate the evils, the political, economic and social evils that are afflicting the people of our community. Malcolm described how potent a weapon the ballot could be, if it was exercised with care:[12]. Nothing but Africans." 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 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. Deliberate use of many conjunctions for special emphasis. $4.00. It took decades for the men involved to be prosecuted as FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, prevented their prosecution in 1968. Summary of Malcolm X's "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. We have to see each other as brothers and sisters. '' statements and examples designed to evoke emotion to appeal to his audience, wise diction the... Could be, if it was exercised with care: [ 12 ] the content ; t open up black... Context of a speech advocating for political engagement, when he left the Nation of Islam, malcolm his. See each other began to lose hope that non-violent intervention was a reasonable goal to... 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