Malcom X: Peaceful Resistance

Martin Luther King and Malcom X, both prominent figures in the Civil Rights movement, had vastly different views on segregation and violence. The first time these two met was at the U.S. Capitol in 1964 to watch the Senate debate on a Civil Rights bill. Of the two, Martin Luther king had the better philosophy for America in the 1960’s because of his views on Integration, economics, and anti-violence.

Malcom X gives his speech during a time in American history when equality and civil rights between blacks and whites had not yet been established. Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X also fought for the civil rights of Black Americans in the 1960s, but using different tactics. Malcom X was angry that Congress had opposed bills that were intended to support the equality and civil liberties of African Americans. In the North, where Blacks were allowed to vote, White politicians came to Black communities with promises they did not intend to keep in exchange for black votes. Malcom X urged the African American community to fight in order to gain the equal rights they deserved, by either through immediate grant of the vote (the ballot) and if denied the vote, blacks should engage in violent opposition to the white rule (the bullet). Malcom X’s stature as a civil rights leader and prominent figure in the Nation of Islam helped strengthen these appeals.

His views on black rights often clashed with other Black rights activist such as Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King was focused on equality and finding the goodness of man and the hope that we could live equally. Malcom’s views sometimes took on an aggressive tone. Understandably so, giving his background. All Malcom knew of race, was the anger and hatred that it brought with it. Which made him at first, have the notion of not wanting anything to do with White America. Even going as far as doing anything necessary to complete the separation from them. In order to have a separate but equal Black

Peaceful resistance to laws is one of the strongest and most important foundations of a free society. Countless peaceful demonstrations have been led in the history of the United States, with positive outcomes that have helped shape the country.

Malcom thought Martin was taking the easy way and it would never work. Martin wanted to solve things with peace and words, but Malcom wanted to fight and to go the hard way around. In "Malcom X: By Any Means Necessary" the author also says," He attacked racism with the biting tone of the absolute cynic, vowing to attain freedom by any means necessary" and that differs from Martin Luther King Jr. because in an interview, "Martin Luther King Malcom X the debate", he said,"Were in non violence means that you do resist in a very strong and determined matter." He wanted every person to love every other person and he new that violence wouldn't get that. Malcom thought peace was weak compared to Martin who thought violence was a dangerously bad ideas. They both would end up at the same solution but getting there they lacked of friendship and

Peaceful resistance to laws has a positive impact on society. Because it's not harming anybody and they're standing up for what they believe in and they have equal rights to every one else. One example was Rosa Parks. At the time, blacks had to go to the back of the bus and one day she decided she was going to stay in the front of the bus because she was tired. She was also making a statement that people should be able to sit wherever they choose to.

The American Civil Rights had many moving parts and the many accomplishments can be attributed to the persistence and sacrifice of many that participated both black and white. Two seminal figures in the movement were Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. While they were similar in many accounts and held many of the same beliefs King is usually portrayed as a pacifist while X is a rabble rouser ready looking for a reason to use violence. Two diametrically opposed sides of the same coin whose accomplishments may not have happened if not for the other. The love of and fear of are two of the strongest motivators known to man. King use love and the quality of love in his address while X uses fear in attempts to motivate change.

Specifically addressing the use of peaceful resistance to laws, I believe that we, as a free society, need to permit peaceful resistance because of the specific issues the public addresses as unjust, unfair, or in violation of their rights demonstrated by this

Dr. King and the Rev. Malcom X had very different approaches at solving the problem going on in America. The Rev. Dr. King based his principles off of Ghandi, this gave him a more subtle, nonviolent approach. He advocated African American rights peacefully with protests, lunch sit-ins, and boycotts etc. On the other hand, the Rev. Malcom X was part of the nation of Islam and was taught a violent way of doing things. He planned to take African American rights rather than advocate their rights. His plan was really to take them and he would do this by any means necessary, and he meant anything. He believed that the African Americans had waited too long already and if someone does not do anything about it, nothing would ever be done. Although there were flaws in both of the minister’s plans, the Rev. Malcom X was going about the problem the wrong way. The battle of killing the white man into your freedom sounds a bit ridiculous in the first place. It could get something done but more than likely will delay their rights even further because there will be an argument that African Americans do not need rights due to their

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impact a free society. As a society there is nothing stronger than "We the people". Our silence and words speak louder than any actions of ours ever could. Rosa Parks did not scream or fight back against the policemen or the people who tried to make her go sit in the back of the bus. She just sat there quietly which scared people.

In a free society such as the United States, peaceful resistance usually comes in the form of peaceful protests such as people marching in the streets or people staying put in a public area for symbolic reasons. Peaceful resistance of this form is allowed because the government of this country seems to support an ideal set forth in Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience: “That government is best which governs least.” In other words, the role of government is to protect the individual freedoms of its people, and the constitution that the United States government adheres to works to protect those individual freedoms, including the freedom of speech. Therefore, peaceful resistance in the form of peaceful protests are protected by the constitution. And even when peaceful protests cause individuals to break laws, these actions can bear fruits of justice and advancement within society.

Peaceful resistance is a major part of American history, from the American Revolution to the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement to the Travel Ban protests of today. These instances of peaceful resistance shape American society for the better, as the voices of minorities are heard and unjust laws are ended. Peaceful resistance does positively impact a free society, as supported by Henry Thoreau, demonstrated by the 1960 Civil Rights Movement, and anticipated by protests of today.

In the 1960s, many African Americans struggled for equality. There were two famous African American civil rights leaders: Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X. They both fought for the civil right of African Americans and delivered a message through media speeches, but they fought in different ways to achieve their goal. Martin Luther King Jr. believed that the movement should be done in peace and non-violence while Malcom X believed that people should pursue equality by “any means necessary” (The Sixties). The backgrounds of two leaders are different and it may have influenced their beliefs.

Peaceful resistance brings people together for a common cause. People that have very little in common will rally together around what they feel is an injustice. A perfect example of this is the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. The movement was a nonviolent movement to free African Americans from segregation. Martin Luther King, Jr., a key leader of the movement, led many marches and made many powerful speeches, including his famous, March on Washington, that lead up to his even more famous “I Have a Dream” speech. During the march and the speech,

Recently, I've witnessed our President, the democratically-elected executor sworn to uphold and protect this nation's most fundamental institution, use his position to persuade the populace to condemn other Americans for a practice of protest outside of his own opinion. The protesters are performing a practice given and protected as their fundamental right--a peaceful practice, devoid of inciting violence, promoting the tyranny of a majority, or an oppression of any minority's rights.