Malcolm X - Your opinions

[anti machine]

I have come to admire Malcolm X with zeal and enthusiasm. HEre is a man who truly spoke for the black population in the 60's. Always open to change, after a visit to Mecca he realized that the white man was not to blame for all of America's problems and began to speak openly with Dr. King. His prompts to "bring about justice by any means necessary" really speak to me. He was even occused of communism.

WHat do you guys think about brother Malcolm?

[Xvall]

Brother Malcolm, I'm sure was a Brother to us all. A pure example of how he can change. He used to be what would be described as a 'player', and eventually became a beacon of unity and justice. Long live Brother Malcolm..

[pastradamus]

I think martin luther king was better for the black struggle,in the way that he didnt take on the massive white population with violence.He used powerfull speeches instead which convinced many people to join his movement.
Malcolm X was different,malcolm was in my view a little crazy if u dont mind me saying so.

He used very intelligent speeches,so intellegent that he convinced the people to fight,fight for an outnumbered community.But there can be no saying that the guy was not an absouletly excellent politican.I admire malcolm a lot,but In most western countries violence will never solve ne thing,thats why i support martin uther instead.

[anti machine]

Malcolm X never "took on the massive white population in violence". In fact, the only time he was ever remotely violent was when he recieved death threats and he held vigil by his window with an assault rifle,which he never got the oppurtunity to use.

[anti machine]

How can you say violence will never solve anything? How do you think America got where it is today? By hosting "peace talks" with England and asking politely to leave their oppressive country and form one of their own? No, they fought against taxation w/out representation. Malcolm X had more reason than that, and people still called him crazy as you do.

[Xvall]

Taxation WITH representation isn't so great either. I live here, I know. By the way, Malcolm X taught no violence. He only taught his people to defend themselves against racism and bigotry.

[Lefty]

hurrah for malcolm x. i agree with pa, tho. MLK achieved more, and was less militant, however they both were great men, men on che and george w. bush's level.

can you spot the joke in this post?

[Reuben]

I have mixed feelings on Malcom X. I have come to feel closer tohis methods however.

His problem with the mainstream civil rights movement, was that any gains it made on behalf of black equality and civil rights, were contingent on the white establishment I.E. the senate, being convinced that black people deserved those rights. He quite rightly argued that, particularly after centuries of racist subjugation, black people should be entitled to equality regardless of the feelings ofthe white majority, that blacks should simply 'take what is theirs' rather wait for congress to allow blacks a little more than a desegregated cup of coffee.

I do also admire Martin Luther King, and find his goals more appealing than Malcom Xs goals, which even after he had gone to mecca still leaned towards separitism.

I also feel that King was probably more intelligent than Malcom. Malcom seemed to benefit from a kind of fearlessness and strength that people see in speakers who talk very forcefully but dont necessarily put forward reasoned argument. Malcom X had some very clever lines, but when you start to unpick some of what he said, SOME of his ideas were not intelectually viable or very subtle.

So I admire different aspects of what both King and Malcom X fought for. I support X in his belief that black equality should notbe contingent on the feelings of the white establishment, and I support King in his absolute rejection of seperatism and essentialism.

Long live th black struggle

[Xvall]

Long live everyone's struggle.. Long live the struggle for equality..

[hobo]

very true drake, i think MLK will alwas be the more famous black civil rights leader, but i think malcom x did brilliantly as well.

[Rob]

I think that X had many good ideas, and that after he returned from the hajj (pilgramige to Mecca) he got a lot better.

[j]

I am intrigued by Malcolm. I read his autiobiography on my own (not for school) when I was like 15. That book above all else changed my thinking. I would not be so deeply devoted to revolutionary change and activism it weren't for that book. It opened up my eyes. This is part of the legacy that Malcolm left. His thoughts, actions, and deeds both before and after Mecca are some of the most brilliant and intellegent things ever said, thought, or done.

Sorry folks but if I have to pick one political figure who has influenced me more than any other I would pick Malcolm. (Sorry Che).

[Hey there's an idea for new topic--coming soon!!]

j

p.s.-hobo, wasn't it Emiliano Zapata that said "I would rather live on my feet than die on my knees" not Che? (in reference to your sig)

[Supermodel]

I have to agree that anyone who stands by their strongly held beliefs and speaks out against injustice is a true hero of the people, even if they are in a minority situation. There was no doubt that Malcolm X was sincere in the utmost.

I do tend to think more of MLK Jr. as the stronger leader because his persona was beguiling to many, many people and everything he said resonated with the people.

How on earth did we end up with today's politicians, who won't utter a word untill they test how it will affect their re-election?

[pastradamus]

Quote: from anti machine on 5:00 am on June 13, 2002
Malcolm X never "took on the massive white population in violence". In fact, the only time he was ever remotely violent was when he recieved death threats and he held vigil by his window with an assault rifle,which he never got the oppurtunity to use.

Hey i love the guy,i totally admire him i ment that he was taking on the white majority,I was wrong to use the word violence tho i guess.I ment with such agression.excuse me.

[pastradamus]

Quote: from anti machine on 5:04 am on June 13, 2002
How can you say violence will never solve anything? How do you think America got where it is today? By hosting "peace talks" with England and asking politely to leave their oppressive country and form one of their own? No, they fought against taxation w/out representation. Malcolm X had more reason than that, and people still called him crazy as you do.

Yeah i do,I think america wudnt be where it is today if it werent for peace.Look at WW2 the whole world was in economic crisis,america stayed out and thus became a superpower.

[anti machine]

pastramadus, surely you dont mean what you're saying!
You are implying that America "stayed out" of WWII and thus became a superpower? First of all they were a superpower long before the war, and second of all, my God, read your history!!!! America stayed out of the second world war????? How much education do you HAVE???

[anti machine]

yes j, you are right, hence MY signature, which is not only stolen but is misquoted! my god, who am i dealing with here?????

[pce]

my impression is that malcolm x wanted "afro-americans" to be proud of themselves and their heritage before they worried about integration. i don't think he was a separitist (at least not after mecca), it's just that his priority was to lift the mindset of blacks. he said that if blacks don't respect themselves first, then there's no hope of getting respect from whites. this is why his experiences on the streets where so important to his philosophies later. after mecca he said all blacks should make a spiritual journey back to africa (as opposed to the physical one his father talked about and himself also at first).

i think malcolm x was just as important and respectable as king, i just think that since king was more accepting of whites, he's gotten a better wrap. referring to king and his peace prize, malcolm x said that you should be wary of a leader who is rewarded by the enemy even before the war is over. which leads to something i read written by the actor who played malcolm x in the recent movie, "Ali." he wrote that it's funny how in america they give one black leader a nobel peace prize and call the other a racist, but in the end they shoot both of them.

[pastradamus]

Quote: from anti machine on 4:28 am on June 14, 2002
pastramadus, surely you dont mean what you're saying!
You are implying that America "stayed out" of WWII and thus became a superpower? First of all they were a superpower long before the war, and second of all, my God, read your history!!!! America stayed out of the second world war????? How much education do you HAVE???

Well apparently i got a lot more education than u my friend,The americans made a significant economic gain after wwI,europe was in bits.Since america didnt really feature in it & also the fact that Brittain & other colonial powers had colonies to support.

And lease if ur going to say that america was fucked up after WW2 u must be joking.WAS germany a superpower b4 WW2,yes.
was brittain?,yes.what about after? No.the only country that was left was USSR.
Sorry but america wasn't the "police" of the world back then.