Wow, this was very educational and an excellent read to honor MLK day. I didn't know of Malcolm's spiritual evolution and had a very mistaken idea of the man. Many parts of his quote seem like they could have been written today.
Yeah, I find it too one-dimensional how many Americans see MLK as this ultimate racism-defeating figure. Yet every day there is some new controversy over race. The sole focus on promoting MLK is blinding us from seeing what many other people thought about race in America, and how to best handle racism.
White liberals dislike Malcolm X for obvious reasons, he revealed what they really think about black people. White conservatives are reluctant to promote a Muslim and one-time black nationalist, even though Malcolm was very much a conservative himself. So since very few people are willing to talk about Malcom, many people end up not understanding what he really stood for.
His autobiography is great. He was once a hardcore black nationalist that hated white people. Then he visited Mecca, and seeing the diversity of the worshippers led to a spiritual awakening and made him see that everyone is a human deep down. It’s quite the inspiring story about healing from racism, and stories like that are what America needs.
No offense but I believe you are way off base. MLK got results; he effectively achieved the end of Jim Crow. And, just as importantly if not more so, within 1-2 generations the children raised after integration (such as myself who was raised not only with fellow black students but also with black teachers and administrators (I was born 1969)) have become less and less racist (no matter what the current left says.) Most of the current stuff is radical bs from the 60’s that wasn’t accepted mainstream until the 1990’s and the rise of the internet. (I think that was just a “perfect storm” situation of the Marxist long march through the institutions, the internet, and the problems and politics of the day that were changing/coming.) Anyway, my son’s generation (Z) is even less racist. I think MLK succeeded, and no offense, but I don’t see where Malcom X succeeded at anything tangible at all really. He was always preferred in his times by the radicals who were either Marxist or supported by same. He made a name for himself, but what businesses, transportation, housing, healthcare, or schooling was he responsible for integrating? Sorry, but there’s a reason we celebrate MLK over Malcom X; just because someone is more radical doesn’t necessarily mean their ideas or methods are better and not everyone who is “staid” and works “ploddingly & boringly” is less effective .
Yeah, had he lived longer, we would've seen an incredible character arc on par with George Wallace: someone who went from ardent segregationism and racial nationalism into someone who realized that there are stronger things binding humans than race. Of course, the NOI didn't like hearing that, and the fact that he betrayed their organization, so they killed him.
Wow, this was very educational and an excellent read to honor MLK day. I didn't know of Malcolm's spiritual evolution and had a very mistaken idea of the man. Many parts of his quote seem like they could have been written today.
Yeah, I find it too one-dimensional how many Americans see MLK as this ultimate racism-defeating figure. Yet every day there is some new controversy over race. The sole focus on promoting MLK is blinding us from seeing what many other people thought about race in America, and how to best handle racism.
White liberals dislike Malcolm X for obvious reasons, he revealed what they really think about black people. White conservatives are reluctant to promote a Muslim and one-time black nationalist, even though Malcolm was very much a conservative himself. So since very few people are willing to talk about Malcom, many people end up not understanding what he really stood for.
Very interesting. I read his autobiography back in the seventies before I had half a brain. I'm going to re-read it now.
His autobiography is great. He was once a hardcore black nationalist that hated white people. Then he visited Mecca, and seeing the diversity of the worshippers led to a spiritual awakening and made him see that everyone is a human deep down. It’s quite the inspiring story about healing from racism, and stories like that are what America needs.
No offense but I believe you are way off base. MLK got results; he effectively achieved the end of Jim Crow. And, just as importantly if not more so, within 1-2 generations the children raised after integration (such as myself who was raised not only with fellow black students but also with black teachers and administrators (I was born 1969)) have become less and less racist (no matter what the current left says.) Most of the current stuff is radical bs from the 60’s that wasn’t accepted mainstream until the 1990’s and the rise of the internet. (I think that was just a “perfect storm” situation of the Marxist long march through the institutions, the internet, and the problems and politics of the day that were changing/coming.) Anyway, my son’s generation (Z) is even less racist. I think MLK succeeded, and no offense, but I don’t see where Malcom X succeeded at anything tangible at all really. He was always preferred in his times by the radicals who were either Marxist or supported by same. He made a name for himself, but what businesses, transportation, housing, healthcare, or schooling was he responsible for integrating? Sorry, but there’s a reason we celebrate MLK over Malcom X; just because someone is more radical doesn’t necessarily mean their ideas or methods are better and not everyone who is “staid” and works “ploddingly & boringly” is less effective .
Yeah, had he lived longer, we would've seen an incredible character arc on par with George Wallace: someone who went from ardent segregationism and racial nationalism into someone who realized that there are stronger things binding humans than race. Of course, the NOI didn't like hearing that, and the fact that he betrayed their organization, so they killed him.