William R. Wilburn
New member
In 1964 Malcom X gave a speech in Cleveland. Its title was "The Ballot or the Bullet."
This post has nothing to do with race and everthing to do with tactics and strategies in politics.
I chose this subject mostly for the young among us who think we, as a nation and society, are immune from politically spawned violence.
I have long thought that any group struggling for its rights can learn a lot from past civil rights actions.
The civil rights movement, by blacks, in America, in the 60's is exemplary. Had it not been for the doctrine of non-violence by many, not all, but many, black leaders, a civil war was averted.
Think about it. If your situation were the same as blacks found themselves in the first half of the century would you not become violent? No justice. No peace.
The Ballot or the Bullet speech is the fork in the road for the civil rights movement. One way is within the system. The other is to violently overthrow the system.
Some quotes from The Ballot or the Bullet follow. It is interesting to note that the goals set forth by Malcom X have been largley realized in that he got people to understand the power of the vote and to use that power.
Quotes exerpted below:
..."What Next?" In my humble way of understanding it, it points toward either the ballot or the bullet.
(Speaking of blacks in America)
...I'm not going to sit at your table and watch you eat, with nothing on my plate, and call myself a diner.
(Speaking of black voters)
...They are becoming potically mature. They are realizing new politcal trends from coast to coast. As they see these new political trends, it's possible for them to see that every time there's and election the races are so close that they have to have a recount...
(Speaking of recent elections)
...It was so close that they had to count all over again. 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 house.
(Speaking to the faint-hearted)
...The ballot or the bullet. If you're afraid to use an expression like that, you should get out of the country,...
...1964, it's time now for you and me to become more politcally mature and realize what the ballot is for; what we're supposed to get when we cast 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 the ballot or the bullet.
...It'll be ballots or it'll be bullets. It'll be libery, or it'll be death.
...Don't be throwing out any ballots. A ballot is like a bullet.
(Speaking here about LBJ and the Democratic Party)
...Tell him, don't wait until election time. If he waits too long brothers and sisters, he will be resposible for letting a condition develop in this country which would create a climate that will bring seeds up out of the ground with vegetation on the end of them looking like something these people never dreamed of. In 1964, it's the ballot or the bullet. Thank you.
--Malcom X
We must keep the nation on a course such that no person loses hope of influencing its government, for this is the cause of violence. If we are without hope of seeking "...life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.," within a society, then the climate is indeed condusive to the growth of anarchy and violence.
A bunker mentality is a waste of time. Lobby, speak, register voters, lecture, teach, vote. We have to become "more politiclly mature." Let us not "wait too long." Let us prepare for the next election, and the next...
This liberty we have does, indeed, require "eternal vigilance." With due diligence we may avoid having to "refresh the tree of liberty with the blood of patriots."
Here's to Rich's "High Road." Let us keep it passible.
William
This post has nothing to do with race and everthing to do with tactics and strategies in politics.
I chose this subject mostly for the young among us who think we, as a nation and society, are immune from politically spawned violence.
I have long thought that any group struggling for its rights can learn a lot from past civil rights actions.
The civil rights movement, by blacks, in America, in the 60's is exemplary. Had it not been for the doctrine of non-violence by many, not all, but many, black leaders, a civil war was averted.
Think about it. If your situation were the same as blacks found themselves in the first half of the century would you not become violent? No justice. No peace.
The Ballot or the Bullet speech is the fork in the road for the civil rights movement. One way is within the system. The other is to violently overthrow the system.
Some quotes from The Ballot or the Bullet follow. It is interesting to note that the goals set forth by Malcom X have been largley realized in that he got people to understand the power of the vote and to use that power.
Quotes exerpted below:
..."What Next?" In my humble way of understanding it, it points toward either the ballot or the bullet.
(Speaking of blacks in America)
...I'm not going to sit at your table and watch you eat, with nothing on my plate, and call myself a diner.
(Speaking of black voters)
...They are becoming potically mature. They are realizing new politcal trends from coast to coast. As they see these new political trends, it's possible for them to see that every time there's and election the races are so close that they have to have a recount...
(Speaking of recent elections)
...It was so close that they had to count all over again. 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 house.
(Speaking to the faint-hearted)
...The ballot or the bullet. If you're afraid to use an expression like that, you should get out of the country,...
...1964, it's time now for you and me to become more politcally mature and realize what the ballot is for; what we're supposed to get when we cast 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 the ballot or the bullet.
...It'll be ballots or it'll be bullets. It'll be libery, or it'll be death.
...Don't be throwing out any ballots. A ballot is like a bullet.
(Speaking here about LBJ and the Democratic Party)
...Tell him, don't wait until election time. If he waits too long brothers and sisters, he will be resposible for letting a condition develop in this country which would create a climate that will bring seeds up out of the ground with vegetation on the end of them looking like something these people never dreamed of. In 1964, it's the ballot or the bullet. Thank you.
--Malcom X
We must keep the nation on a course such that no person loses hope of influencing its government, for this is the cause of violence. If we are without hope of seeking "...life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.," within a society, then the climate is indeed condusive to the growth of anarchy and violence.
A bunker mentality is a waste of time. Lobby, speak, register voters, lecture, teach, vote. We have to become "more politiclly mature." Let us not "wait too long." Let us prepare for the next election, and the next...
This liberty we have does, indeed, require "eternal vigilance." With due diligence we may avoid having to "refresh the tree of liberty with the blood of patriots."
Here's to Rich's "High Road." Let us keep it passible.
William