Comparing 'Ballot And I Have A Dream'

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Nathalia Vargas Dr.Koppelman ENC1102 Febuary 18,2013 A Bad Check “By any means necessary?” as stated by Mr.Malcolm X Or “must we not be guilty of wrongful deeds?” in the words of Martin Luther King Jr. If one takes a moment to truly analyze the similarities and differences found in the speech’s of Malcolm X’s “ Ballot or the bullet” and Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a dream”. One will find they compare and contrast on many different levels. A person can even begin to see them as a duo of the civil rights movement as they did come together towards the end of the revolution, despite their most obvious diffrences. One can see through their own individual words and emotions, exactly what they stood for. By the same token one can gain insight…show more content…
For instance as quoted from Dr.King’s says “America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. “ We come here today to dramatize a shameful condition” we see here he is reaching out not only the black community, but giving the rest of the community a conscience for the “bad check”, the empty promises that have been made and to having insufficient funds. In“The ballot or the bullet” speech in its name alone it shows determination. Malcolm X’s delivery of the speech shows you something very different from Dr.King’ s speech. He does not care for those he calls “ the enemy” he explains. The strategy of the white man has always been divide and conquer. “He keeps us divided in order to conquer us.” As the speech goes on you can see Malcolm X’s words “ I think separation will get me freedom” He is for Black Nationalism, not integration. He is not for joining hands together as one with the white brother, but joining hands and efforts with his twenty-two million African-American brothers around the country. He asks the black community to unite and no longer take orders from anyone but those living the life they were leading. He like Dr.King demands change from empty promises. Yet, his strategy is by any means necessary and together united as twenty two million

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