Social Marginalization by Race: Economic Deprivation and Term Paper

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Social Marginalization by Race: Economic Deprivation and White American Resistance in the Ballot or the Bullet by Malcolm X

The rigorous history of African-Americanism and their emancipation within the American society reflects the struggles and perpetuation of discrimination among black Americans even during the 20th century. Malcolm X, considered one of the most radical and influential leader of the black American civil rights movement, centers on the issues of discrimination and white American resistance among the blacks in his famous discourse, The Ballot or the Bullet, delivered in April 3, 1964.

The relevance and significance of Malcolm X's discourse must be put into context in the events happening during his time. Historically, the socio-political landscape of the United States during the 1960s is characterized by the emergence and development of the civil rights movement for the marginalized sectors of the society, such as the youth, women, poor, and particularly, African-Americans. Furthermore, it is also important to note that Malcolm X's speech was delivered at the height of the civil rights movement, where the black Americans has just received the legal right to vote, despite strong opposition from the white Americans. Thus, in The Ballot or the Bullet, he talks about the continuing prevalence of black American discrimination and prejudice in the country, despite its success in providing its people with rights equal to that of a white American. In the speech, Malcolm X identifies the U.S. government as the 'hypocrite' and true oppressor of the black Americans, discriminating them through economic deprivation and establishment of white resistance in the American society. In effect, two emerging themes develop within Malcolm X's discourse, and these themes are identified as the main causes of the speaker's staunch demand for violence or "the bullet" over "the ballot: (1) the increasing fear of white Americans in growing unrest among black Americans; and (2) the developing adversarial role of the government on the issue of white and black American equality.

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Violence, according to Malcolm X, is preferable over 'the ballot,' in order to frighten and threaten the treacherous government and its members to grant the black Americans with their hard-earned freedom and equality with the society not only socially, but also politically and economically. His radical and bold attitude may be assumed as the character of an activist inciting his audience (in this case, African-American society) to sedition or rebellion. This attitude developed as a result of his observations, reasoning that the white Americans are slowly losing its 'strength' to resist the blacks.

Indeed, this is explicitly illustrated in his assertion that the government, with all its "filibustering ad doing all other kinds of trickery to keep the Negro from being able to vote" actually leads to the strengthening of the black American society. He exclaims that this situation is " ... pitiful for the white man ... As the Negro awakens a little more and sees the vise that he's in ... then the Negro's going to develop a new tactic." Evidently, the "new tactic" that he is referring to here can be construed as a precursor to violence, and a strategy that aims to build confidence and strength for his fellow black Americans.

This point is reflected once again in Malcolm X's effective rhetoric on the "victory" of blacks over the whites. He likens the white American, particularly the segregationist, as "a man whose bias and prejudice are making him lose his mind, intelligence, everyday ... he sees that the pendulum of time is swinging in your (black Americans) direction." This scenario is ironically a reversal of historical events concerning the whites and the blacks in the U.S.: where once the blacks are considered slaves and oppressed people, where there is constant paranoia and threat from the dominant white American, there is now the increasing….....

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