Peace, Malcolm, just peace. |
"The Ballot or the Bullet" is a rousing speech in the public domain by Malcolm X mostly about black nationalism delivered on April 12, 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. It was originally obtained from the Vincent Voice Library at Michigan State University. Who was Malcolm X? He was another assassinated black voice, in some ways more charismatic than the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
But he is falsely contrasted with Dr. King as if he preached war and the reverend peace. It is a false dichotomy. Malcolm X expressed the common sense and more immediate belief that a people have a right to self-protection and should not submit willingly to racist police, who are an expression and extension of a racist society.
Dr. King's wife ate for peace. |
Dr. King had a far reaching vision, following the successful example of Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Naht Hanh and Gandhi in India, a flawed figure who is also deified in hagiographies when the reality is much more human.
Just as we do not acknowledge the reality of Dr. King's faults, we do not see Gandhi's, and we assume that they are the only voices for social justice worth listening to.
But Malcolm X is a very important figure, a firebrand advocating for peace and justice with an emphasis on social justice, economic and civil rights, and self-determination as an outcast people in an ostensibly diverse and accepting society.
The transcript of this speech is now built into the Youtube version of this video. However, due to the recording quality, Youtube's auto-sync loses its place throughout the video. Clicking on the transcript button under the video will allow you to follow along on your own however. Find the audio and its unedited transcript here.
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