Martin Luther King and Malcolm X: Violent or Peaceful Revolu
In American history, an important chapter in the black revolution was taking place, where the black people demanded their respect and freedom from the whites. This was a stepping-stone for what is America today, a society that is composed of freedom and equal rights for everyone. Two important leaders who contributed greatly to the black revolution were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. King in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" replies to the statements released by the eight Alabama clergymen about his non-violent demonstrations. Throughout the letter, King uses peaceful language and religious imagery to argue his points. King's peaceful tone aids in his non-violent arguments because someone who talks about Jesus is not usually associated with violence. Although King suggests about a peaceful revolution throughout his letter, he is well aware of the coming of violence if the peaceful demonstrations are ignored. Malcolm X on the other hand takes a more direct and aggressive stance in his speech at the Palm Gardens. He warns that a very violent revolution will erupt if the Black community's wishes are not granted. X uses many violent and provocative words through his speech in order to grab the attention of the white audience. Alt
used the example of the Apostle Paul, he says "Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town" (King, 218). King uses more religious metaphors and he compares himself to an Apostle, thus making him seem more religious and peaceful. hough at first it seems that Martin Luther King uses a very peaceful rhetoric while Malcolm X uses a much more violent rhetoric, they both use the same strategy in order to persuade their audience by showing both the violent and the non-violent sides of the revolution and thus making a non-violent revolution more appealing. as King's. X first presented a very violent revolution, and then later on he shows an alternative way to achieve the same goal without bloodshed. This makes the non-violent revolution seem much more attractive than a violent revolution. Both King and Malcolm X show violent and peaceful revolution, thus making the non-violent revolution a better choice.
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Approximate Word count = 1689
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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