In the history of the U.S., there have been an extended number of great and powerful influencers who used their inner strength to advocate for freedom and truth and make people’s lives better. Some of them used speeches and letters as their tools to influence society, spread their point of view, and allow everyone to see the real situation in the country. Many of these letters and orations are now studied by philosophers, linguists, and political scientists in order to gain an understanding of the motives and actions of those influencers. For example, “The Ballot or the Bullet” by Malcolm X and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr. are such historical pieces. They allow modern people to see how these figures perceived democracy and understand the American legal system, what strategies they used, and how they were influenced by their religion. While all these aspects are interesting, the purpose of this paper is to study Martin Luther King’s and Malcolm X’s perceptions of democracy and strategies of power and resistance.
To begin with, it is essential to notice that, in his letter, Martin Luther King expresses severe disappointment in the fact that both the White Citizen’s Councilor and the white moderate tell African Americans to stop their actions and wait. They insist on the current unnecessity of the Negro community gaining their rights and freedom. However, this is what leads America to democracy. According to the activist, the latter means allowing all people to live freely and without fear, segregation, violence, and the need to fight for their rights. Democracy is the ultimate absence of discrimination and prejudice, and in a democratic state, children should not feel inferior because of their skin color (Thepostarchive 00:14:02-00:14:41). Simultaneously, parents should not worry about their kids’ lives and health just because the people around them are opposed to their race. Finally, democracy does not allow any unreasonable sign or characteristic to be used against a person and in order to humiliate their dignity and deprive them of their civil and human rights.
In his letter, Martin Luther King Jr. describes the recent events and mentions some strategies that were used by the Negro community. Noticeably, all of them were peaceful and did not initially contain violence. As noticed by the activist, “in any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action” (Thepostarchive 00:04:29-00:04:37). While facing racial injustice, segregation, and brutality, experiencing unfair treatment in the courts, and having their houses and churches bombed, African Americans still tried to engage the city’s white power in good faith negotiations.
When this strategy failed, it was decided to change the plan. According to Martin Luther King Jr., they chose to prepare for nonviolent direct action that “seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue” (Thepostarchive 00:09:15-00:09:35). Again, the strategy did not contain any violence, and this is what defines the essence of the activist’s philosophy. He did not want to destroy and eliminate those who supported white supremacy. Instead, Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for helping such people see the benefits and value of brotherhood, mutual understanding, and love and get rid of racism and prejudice.
Further, it is essential to analyze the way Malcolm X views democracy. In his speech, the activist indicates that he has never seen true democracy, and the one that exists in the U.S. is actually hypocrisy (Npatou 00:25:18-00:25:20). Political figures lie to people and never hold their promises, worsening the situation in the country and making it more challenging for the Negro community to live. Therefore, though Malcolm X does not directly mention what democracy is, he instead states what features it should definitely not have.
On this basis, it is possible to understand how the activist perceives democracy in America. A democratic leader does not lie to the citizens and always holds their promises, and a democratic state “is supposed to guarantee voting rights to Negroes” (Npatou 00:33:36-00:33:40). According to Malcolm X, it is either “freedom for everybody or freedom for nobody” because democracy means providing everyone with equal rights (Npatou 00:37:40-00:37:42). In order for America to be truly democratic, discrimination has to be eliminated, and all people, especially African Americans, need to gain their freedom and use their civil and human rights. As for the strategy of achieving it, Malcolm X insists on uniting against white supremacy, becoming more politically educated and mature, and being ready to die if liberty is not achieved.
Works Cited
“Malcolm X’s Legendary Speech: “The Ballot or the Bullet” (annotations and subtitles).” YouTube, uploaded by Npatou, Web.
“Martin Luther King, Jr. Reads his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” YouTube, uploaded by Thepostarchive, Web.