Student Handout: The Ballot or the Bullet (Abridged)
Malcom X, a civil rights activist, delivered this speech in April of 1964, an election year. Two thousand people— including some of his opponents who believed his separatist ideas would make the civil rights’ movement more difficult—turned out to hear him speak. Read the passage carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Malcolm X makes to convey his message that the fight for racial justice must continue.
…I'm not here to argue or discuss anything that we if birth made you American, you wouldn't need any differ about, because it's time for us to submerge our legislation; you wouldn't need any amendments to the differences and realize that it is best for us to first see 50 Constitution…. Line that we have the same problem, a common problem… No, I'm not an American. I'm one of the twenty-two 5 We're all in the same boat and we all are going to catch million black people who are the victims of Americanism. the same [trouble] from the same man. He just happens One of the twenty-two million black people who to be a white man. All of us have suffered here, in this are the victims of democracy; nothing but disguised country, political oppression at the hands of the white 55 hypocrisy. So, I'm not standing here speaking to you as man, economic exploitation at the hands of the white an American…. I'm not here to argue or discuss anything 10 man, and social degradation at the hands of the white that we differ about, because it's time for us to submerge man. Now in speaking like this, it doesn't mean that our differences and realize that it is best for us to first see we're anti-white, but it does mean we're anti-exploitation, that we have the same problem, a common problem…. we're anti-degradation, we're anti-oppression. And if the 60 We're all in the same boat and we all are going to catch white man doesn't want us to be anti-him, let him stop the same [trouble] from the same man. He just happens 15 oppressing and exploiting and degrading us…. If we to be a white man. All of us have suffered here, in this don't do something real soon, I think you'll have to agree country, political oppression at the hands of the white that we're going to be forced either to use the ballot or man, economic exploitation at the hands of the white the bullet. It's one or the other in 1964. It isn't that time is 65 man, and social degradation at the hands of the white running out—time has run out! man. Now in speaking like this, it doesn't mean that 20 1964 threatens to be the most explosive year we're anti-white, but it does mean we're anti-exploitation, America has ever witnessed. The most explosive year. we're anti-degradation, we're anti-oppression. And if the Why? It's also a political year. It's the year when all white man doesn't want us to be anti-him, let him stop of the white politicians will be back in the so-called 70 oppressing and exploiting and degrading us…. If we Negro community jiving you and me for some votes. don't do something real soon, I think you'll have to agree 25 The year when all of the white political crooks will be that we're going to be forced either to use the ballot or right back in your and my community with their false the bullet. It's one or the other in 1964. It isn't that time is promises, building up our hopes for a letdown, with their running out—time has run out! trickery and their treachery, with their false promises 75 1964 threatens to be the most explosive year which they don't intend to keep. As they nourish America has ever witnessed. The most explosive year. 30 these dissatisfactions, it can only lead to one thing, an Why? It's also a political year. It's the year when all explosion; and now we have the type of black man on the of the white politicians will be back in the so-called scene in America today…who just doesn't intend to turn Negro community jiving you and me for some votes. the other cheek any longer. 80 The year when all of the white political crooks will I'm not a politician, not even a student of politics; be right back in your and my community with their 35 in fact, I'm not a student of much of anything. I'm false promises, building up our hopes for a letdown, not a Democrat. I'm not a Republican, and I don't with their trickery and their treachery, with their false even consider myself an American. If you and I were promises which they don't intend to keep. As they Americans, there'd be no problem…. Everything that 85 nourish these dissatisfactions, it can only lead to one came out of Europe, every blue-eyed thing, is already an thing, an explosion; and now we have the type of black 40 American. And as long as you and I have been over here, man on the scene in America today…. who just doesn't we aren't Americans yet. intend to turn the other cheek any longer. Well, I am one who doesn't believe in deluding I'm not a politician, not even a student of politics; myself. I'm not going to sit at your table and watch you 90 in fact, I'm not a student of much of anything. I'm eat, with nothing on my plate, and call myself a diner. not a Democrat. I'm not a Republican, and I don't 45 Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless even consider myself an American. If you and I were you eat some of what's on that plate. Being here in Americans, there'd be no problem…. Everything that America doesn't make you an American. Being born came out of Europe, every blue-eyed thing, is already here in America doesn't make you an American. Why, 95 an American. And as long as you and I have been over
here, we aren't Americans yet…no, not I. I'm speaking
as a victim of this American system. And I see America through the eyes of the victim. I don't see any American Line dream; I see an American nightmare. 100 These twenty-two million victims are waking up. Their eyes are coming open. They're beginning to see what they used to only look at. They're becoming politically mature…. It's possible for them to see that every time there's an election, the races are so close 105 that they have to have a recount…. Well, what does this mean? It means that when white people are evenly divided, and black people have a bloc of votes of their own, it is left up to them to determine who's going to sit in the White House and who's going to be in the dog- 110 house…. So it's time in 1964 to wake up…let them know your eyes are open. And let them know you— something else that's wide open too. It's got to be the ballot or the bullet. The ballot or the bullet. If you're 115 afraid to use an expression like that, you should get on out of the country; you should get back in the cotton patch; you should get back in the alley. They get all the Negro vote, and after they get it, the Negro gets nothing in return…. That's camouflage, that's trickery, that's 120 treachery, window-dressing…. Half of the people in the South can't even vote…. That's why, in 1964, it's time now for you and me to become more politically mature and realize what the ballot is for; what we're supposed to get when we cast 125 a ballot; and that if we don't cast a ballot, it's going to end up in a situation where we're going to have to cast a bullet. It's either a ballot or a bullet….
Summary of One Thought Scares Me...by Richard Dreyfuss: We Teach Our Children What We Wish Them to Know; We Don't Teach Our Children What We Don't Wish Them to Know
