malcolm x-.docx

malcolmx-MalcolmX:quot;MessageToThmalcolmx:messagetothegrassroots.andduringthefewmomentsthatwehaveleft,wewanttohavejustanoff-the-cuffchatbetweenyouandmeus.wewanttotalkrightdowntoearthinalanguagethateverybodyherecaneasilyunderstand.Weal1agreetonight,allofthespeakershaveagreed,thatamericahasaveryseriousproblem,notonlydoesamericahaveaveryseriousproblem,butourpeoplehaveaveryseriousproblem,americasproblemisus.Wereherproblem,theonlyreasonshehasaproblemisshedoesntwantushere,andeverytimeyoulookatyourself,beyoublack,brown,red,oryellow-aso-callednegro-yourepresentapersonwhoposessuchaseriousproblemforamericabecauseyourenotwanted,onceyoufacethisasafact,thenyoucanstartplottingacoursethatwi11makeyouappearintelligent,insteadofunintelligent.whatyouandineedtodoislearntoforgetourdifferences.whenwecometogether,Wedontcometogetherasbaptistsormethodists,youdontcatchhellcauseyoureabaptist,andyoudontcatchhellcauseyoureamethodist,youdontcatchhellcauseyoureamethodistorbaptist,youdontcatchhel1becauseyoureademocratorarepublican,youdontcatchhel1becauseyoureamasonoranelk.andyousuredontcatchhellcauseyoureanamerican;causeifyouwasanamerican,youwou1dntcatchnohell,youcatchhellcauseyoureablackman.youcatchhell,allofuscatchhell,forthesamereason.soweareallblackpeople,so-callednegroes,second-classcitizens,ex-slaves,youarenothingbutasicex-slave,youdontliketobetoldthat,butwhatelseareyou?youareex-slaves,youdidntcomehereonthemayflower.youcamehereonas1avcship-inchains,likeahorse,oracow,orachicken,andyouwerebroughtherebythepeoplewhocamehereonthemayflower.youwerebroughtherebytheso-calledpiIgrims,orfoundingfathers,theyweretheoneswhobroughtyouhere,wehaveacommonenemy,wehavethisincommon:wehaveacommonoppressor,acommonexploiter,andacommondiscriminator,butonceweallrealizethatwehavethiscommonenemy,thenwcuniteonthebasisofwhatwehaveincommon,andwhatwehaveforemostincommonisthatenemy-thewhiteman.hesanenemytoallofus.iknowsomeofyoual1thinkthatsomeofthemarentenemies,timewilltell.inbandungbackin,ithink,1954,wasthefirstunitymeetingincenturiesofblackpeople,andonceyoustudywhathappenedatthebandungconference,andtheresultsofthebandungconference,itactuallyservesasamodelforthesameprocedureyouandicanusetogetourproblemssolved,atbandungallthenationscametogether,theirweredarknationsfromafricaandasia.someofthemwerebuddhists.someofthemweremuslim.someofthemwereChristians,someofthemwereConfucianists;somewereatheists.despitetheirreligiousdifferences,theycametogether,somewerecommunists;someweresocialists;somewerecapitalists.despitetheireconomicandpoliticaldifferences,theycametogether,allofthemwereblack,brown,red,oryellow.thenumber-onethingthatwasnotallowedtoattendthebandungconferencewasthewhiteman.hecouIdntcome,oncetheyexcludedthewhiteman,theyfoundthattheycouldgettogether.oncetheykepthimout,everybodyelsefellrightinandfellinline,thisisthethingthatyouandihavetounderstand,andthesepeoplewhocametogetherdidnthavenuclearweapons;theydidnthavejetplanes：theydidnthavealloftheheavyarmamentsthatthewhitemanhas.buttheyhadunity.theywereabletosubmergetheirlittlepettydifferencesandagreeononething:thatthoughoneafricancamefromkenyaandwasbeingcolonizedbytheengIishman,andanotherafricancamefromthecongoandwasbeingcolonizedbythebelgian,andanotherafricancamefromguineaandwasbeingcolonizedbythefrench,andanothercamefromangolaandwasbeingcolonizedbythePortuguese,whentheycametothebandungconference,theylookedatthePortuguese,andatthefrenchman,andattheenglishman,andattheother-dutchman-andlearnedorrealizedthattheonethingthatal1ofthemhadincommon:theywerea1fromeurope,theywerealleuropeans,blond,blue-eyedandwhite-skinned,theybegantorccognizewhotheirenemywas.thesamemanthatwascolonizingourpeopleinkenyawascolonizingourpeopleinthecongo.thesameoneinthecongowascolonizingourpeopleinsouthafrica,andinsouthernrhodesia,andinburma,andinindia,andinafghanistan,andinPakistan,theyrealizedallovertheworldwherethedarkmanwasbeingoppressed,hewasbeingoppressedbythewhiteman:wherethedarkmanwasbeingexploited,hewasbeingexploitedbythewhiteman.sotheygottogetherunderthisbasis-thattheyhadacommonenemy.andwhenyouandihereindetroitandinmichiganandinamericawhohavebeenawakenedtodaylookaroundus,wetoorealizehereinamericaweal1haveacommonenemy,whetherhesingeorgiaormichigan,whetherheSincaliforniaornewyork.hesthesameman:blueeyesandblondhairandpaleskin-sameman.sowhatwehavetodoiswhattheydid.theyagreedtostopquarrelingamongthemselves.any1ittlespalthattheyhad,theydsettleitamongthemselves,gointoahuddle-dontlettheenemyknowthatyougotsicadisagreement.insteadofusairingourdifferencesinpublic,wehavetorealizewereallthesamefamily,andwhenyouhaveafamilysquabble,youdontgetoutonthesidewalk,ifyoudo,everybodycallsyouuncouth,unrefined,uncivi1ized,savage.ifyoudontmakeitathome,yousettleitathome;yougetintheclosetargueitoutbehindcloseddoors,andthenwhenyoucomeoutonthestreet,youposeacommonfront,aunitedfront,andthisiswhatweneedtodointhecommunity,andinthecity,andinthestate.weneedtostopairingourdifferencesinfrontofthewhiteman.putthewhitemanoutofourmeetings,numberone,andthensitdownandtalkshopwitheachother.thatsallyougottado.iwou1d1iketomakeafewcommentsconcerningthedifferencebetweentheblackrevolutionandthenegrorevolution,thereSadifference,aretheyboththesame?andiftheyrenot,whatisthedifference?whatisthedifferencehetweenablackrevolutionandanegrorevolution?first,whatisarevolution?sometimesimi11dinedtobelievethatmanyofourpeopleareusingthiswordrevolutionloosely,withouttakingcarefulconsiderationofwhatthiswordactuallymeans,andwhatitshistoriccharacteristicsare.whenyoustudythehistoricnatureofrevolutions,themotiveofarevolution,theobjectiveofarevolution,andtheresultofarevolution,andthemethodsusedinarevolution,youmaychangewords,youmaydeviseanotherprogram,youmaychangeyourgoalandyoumaychangeyourmind.lookattheamericanrevolutionin1776.thatrevolutionwasforwhat?forland,whydidtheywantland?independence,howwasitcarriedout?bloodshed,numberone,itwasbasedonland,thebasisofindependence,andtheonlywaytheycouldgetitwasbloodshed,thefrenchrevolution-whatwasitbasedon?theIand-Iessagainstthelandlord.whatwasitfor?land.howdidtheygetit?bloodshed.wasnolovelost;wasnocompromise：wasnonegotiation.imtellingyou,youdontknowwhatarevolutionis.causewhenyoufindoutwhatitis,you11getbackinthealley;you11getoutoftheway.therussianrevolution-whatwasitbasedon?land.theland-lessagainstthelandlord,howdidtheybringitabout?bloodshed,youhaventgotarevolutionthatdoesntinvolvebloodshed.andyoureafraidtobleed.isaid,youreafraidtobleed,aslongasthewhitemansentyoutokorea,youbled,hesentyoutogermany,youbled.hesentyoutothesouthpacifictofighttheJapanese,youbled,youbleedforwhitepeople,butwhenitcomestimetoseeingyourownchurchesbeingbombedand1ittleblackgirlsbemurdered,youhaventgotnoblood,youbleedwhenthewhitemansaysbleed;youbitewhenthewhitemansaysbite;andyoubarkwhenthewhitemansaysbark,ihatetosaythisaboutus,butitstrue,howareyougoingtobenonviolentinmississippi,asviolentasyouwereinkorea?howcanyoujustifybeingnonviolentinmississippiandaIabama,whenyourchurchesarebeingbombed,andyourlittlegirlsarebeingmurdered,andatthesametimeyouregoingtoviolentwithhitler,andtojo,andsomebodyelsethatyoudontevenknow?ifviolenceiswronginamerica,violenceiswrongabroad,ifitswrongtobeviolentdefendingblackwomenandblackchiIdrcnandblackbabiesandblackmen,thenitswrongforamericatodraftusandmakeusviolentabroadindefenseofher.andifitisrightforamericatodraftus,andteachushowtobeviolentindefenseofher,thenitisrightforyouandmetodowhateverisnecessarytodefendourownpeoplerighthereinthiscountry.theChineserevolution-theywantedland,theythrewthebritishout,alongwiththeuncletomChinese,yeah,theydid.theysetagoodexample,wheniwasinprison,ireadanarticle-dontbeshockedwhenisayiwasinprison,yourestillinprison,thatSwhatamericameans:prison,wheniwasinprison,ireadanarticleinlifemagazineshowingalittleChinesegirl,nineyearsold;herfatherwasonhishandsandkneesandshewaspullingthetriggercausehewasanuncletomchinaman,whentheyhadtherevolutionoverthere,theytookawholegenerationofuncletoms-justwipedthemout.andwithintenyearsthatlittlegirlbecomesicafull-grownwoman,nomoretomsinchina,andtodayitsoneofthetoughest,roughest,mostfearedcountriesonthisearth-bythewhiteman.causetherearenouncletomsoverthere,ofal1ourstudies,historyisbestqualifiedtorewardourresearch,andwhenyouseethatyouvegotproblems,allyouhavetodoisexaminethehistoricmethodusedal1overtheworldbyotherswhohaveproblemssimilartoyours,andonceyouseehowtheygottheirsstraight,thenyouknowhowyoucangetyoursstraight.theresbeenarevolution,ablackrevolution,goingoninafrica.inkenya,themaumauwererevolutionaries;theyweretheoneswhomadetheworduhurukenyanwordforfreedom.theyweretheoneswhobroughtittothefore.themaumau,theywererevolutionaries,theybelievedinscorchedearth.theyknockedeverythingasidethatgotintheirway,andtheirrevolutionalsowasbasedonland,adesireforland.inalgeria,thenorthernpartofafrica,arevolutiontookplace,theaIgerianswererevolutionists:theywantedland,francoofferedtoletthembeintegratedintofrance.theytoldfrance:tohellwithfranco,theywantedsomeland,notsomefrance.andtheyengagedinabloodybattle.soicitethesevariousrevolutions,brothersandsisters,toshowyou-youdonthaveapeacefulrevolution.youdonthaveaturn-the-other-checkrevolution,thereSnosuchthingasanonviolentrevolution,theonlykindofrevolutionthatsnonviolentisthenegrorevolution,theon1yrevolutionbasedonlovingyourenemyisthenegrorevolution.theonlyrevolutioninwhichthegoalisadesegregatedlunchcounter,adesegregatedtheater,adesegregatedpark,andadesegregatedpublictoilet;youcansitdownnexttowhitefolksonthetoilet.thatsnorevolution,revolutionisbasedonland,landisthebasisofal1independence,landisthebasisoffreedom,justice,andequality.thewhitemanknowswhatarevolutionis.heknowsthattheblackrevolutionisworld-wideinscopeandinnature,theblackrevolutionissweepingasia,sweepingafrica,isrearingitsheadin1.atinamerica.thecubanrevolution-thatSarevolution.theyoverturnedthesystem.revolutionisinasia.revolutionisinafrica.andthewhitemanisscreamingbecauseheseesrevolutioninIatinamcrica.howdoyouthinkhe11reacttoyouwhenyoulearnwhatarealrevolutionis?youdontknowwhatarevolutionis.ifyoudid,youwou1dntusethatword.arevolutionisbloody.revolutionishostile.revolutionknowsnocompromise.revolutionoverturnsanddestroyseverythingthatgetsinitsway.andyou,sittingaroundherelikeaknotonthewall,saying,imgoingtolovethesefolksnomatterhowmuchtheyhateme.no,youneedarevolution.whoeverheardofarevolutionwheretheylockarms,asreverendcleagewaspointingoutbeautifully,singingweshallovercome?justtel1me.youdontdothatinarevolution,youdontdoanysinging：youretoobusyswinging.itSbasedonland,arevolutionarywantslandsohecansetuphisownnation,anindependentnation,thesenegroesarentaskingfornonation,theyretryingtocrawlbackontheplantation.whenyouwantanation,thatscallednationalism.whenthewhitemanbecameinvolvedinarevolutioninthiscountryagainstengland,whatwasitfor?hewantedthislandsohecou1dsetupanotherwhitenation,thatswhitenationalism,theamericanrevolutionwaswhitenationalism.thefrenchrevolutionwaswhitenationalism,therussianrevolutiontoo-yes,itwas-whitenationalism.youdontthinkso?whydoyouthinkkhrushchevandmaocantgettheirheadstogether?whitenationalism.al1therevolutionsthatsgoingoninasiaandafricatodayarebasedonwhat?blacknationalism.arevolutionaryisablacknationalist,hewantsanation,iwasreadingsomebeautifulwordsbyreverendcleage,pointingoutwhyhecouIdntgettogetherwithsomeoneelsehereinthecitybecauseallofthemwereafraidofbeingidentifiedwithblacknationalism.ifyoureafraidofblacknationalism,youreafraidofrevolution,andifyouloverevolution,youloveblacknationalism.tounderstandthis,youhavetogobacktowhattheyoungbrotherherereferredtoasthehousenegroandthefieldnegro-backduringslavery,therewastwokindsofslaves,therewasthehousenegroandthefieldnegro,thehousenegroes-theylivedinthehousewithmaster,theydressedprettygood,theyategoodcausetheyatehisfood-whatheleft,they1ivedintheatticorthebasement,butstilltheylivednearthemaster;andtheylovedtheirmastermorethanthemaster1ovedhimself,theywouldgivetheirlifetosavethemastershousequickerthantheroasterwould,thehousenegro,ifthemastersaid,wegotagoodhousehere,thehousenegrowouldsay,yeah,wegotagoodhousehere,wheneverthemastersaidwe,hesaidwe.thatshowyoucantellahousenegro.ifthemastershousecaughtonfire,thehousenegrowouldfighthardertoputtheblazeoutthanthemasterwould,ifthemastergotsick,thehousenegrowouldsay,whatSthematter,boss,wesick?wesick!heidentifiedhimselfwithhismastermorethanhismasteridentifiedwithhimself,andifyoucametothehousenegroandsaid,letsrunaway,letSescape,letsseparate,thehousenegrowou1d1ookatyouandsay,man,youcrazy,whatyoumean,separate?whereisthereabetterhousethanthis?wherecaniwearbetterclothesthanthis?wherecanieatbetterfoodthanthis?thatwasthathousenegro.inthosedayshewascalledahousenigger.andthatSwhatwecallhimtoday,becausewevestillgotsomehouseniggersrunningaroundhere.thismodernhousenegroloveshismaster.hewantstolivenearhim.he11paythreetimesasmuchasthehouseisworthjusttolivenearhismaster,andthenbragaboutimtheonlynegroouthere.imtheonlyoneonmyjob.imtheonlyoneinthisschool.yourenothingbutahousenegro,andifsomeonecomestoyourightnowandsays,letsseparate,yousaythesamethingthatthehousenegrosaidontheplantation,whatyoumean,separate?fromamerica?thisgoodwhiteman?whereyougoingtogetabetterjobthanyougethere?imean,thisiswhatyousay.iaintleftnothinginafrica,thatSwhatyousay.why,youleftyourmindinafrica.onthatsameplantation,therewasthefieldnegro,thefieldnegro-thosewerethemasses,therewerealwaysmorenegroesinthefieldthantherewasnegroesinthehouse,thenegrointhefieldcaughthel1.heateleftovers,inthehousetheyatehighuponthehog.thenegrointhefielddidntgetnothingbutwhatwasleftoftheinsidesofthehog.theycallemchittIinnowadays,inthosedaystheycalledthemwhatIhcywere:guts,thatSwhatyouwere-agut-eater,andsomeofyouallstillgut-eaters.thefieldnegrowasbeatenfrommorningtonight,he1ivedinashack,inahut;heworeold,castoffclothes,hehatedhismaster,isayhehatedhismaster,hewasintel1igent.thathousenegro1ovedhismaster,butthatfieldnegro-remember,theywereinthemajority,andtheyhatedthemaster.whenthehousecaughtonfire,hedidnttryandputitout：thatfieldnegroprayedforawind,forabreeze,whenthemastergotsick,thefieldnegroprayedthatheddie.ifsomeonecomesictothefieldnegroandsaid,letsseparate,letSrun,hedidntsaywherewegoing?hedsay,anyplaceisbetterthanhere.youvegotfieldnegroesinamericatoday.imafieldnegro,themassesarethefieldnegroes,whentheyseethismanShouseonfire,youdonthearthese1ittlenegroestalkingaboutourgovernmentisintrouble.theysay,thegovernmentisintrouble.imagineanegro:ourgovernment!ievenheardonesayourastronauts.theywontevenlethimneartheplant-andourastronauts!ournavy-thatsanegrothatsoutofhismind,thatsanegrothatsoutofhismind.justastheslavemasterofthatdayusedtom,thehousenegro,tokeepthefieldnegroesincheck,thesameoldslavemastertodayhasnegroeswhoarenothingbutmodernuncletoms,20thcenturyuncletoms,tokeepyouandmeincheck,keepusundercontrol,keepuspassiveandpeacefulandnonviolent,thatstommakingyounonviolent,itslikewhenyougotothedentist,andthemansgoingtotakeyourtooth.youregoingtofighthimwhenhestartspulling,sohesquirtssomestuffinyourjawcalled11ovocaine,tomakeyouthinktheyrenotdoinganythingtoyou.soyousitthereandcauseyouVegotal1ofthatnovocaineiny