Comparing The Philosophies Of Martin Luther King And Malcolm X

By ANY Means Necessary

The civil rights movement was a moment which peaked in the 1960’s that was pushing to secure African Americans their rights of equality in the United States. Some of the main problems of the civil rights movement were poverty, racism, and integration. Two men, since their deaths in the 1960’s have not been forgotten or replaced: Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Both men were profitable speakers and ministers and victims of assassination in their efforts to resolve racial inequality. All though they shared a common goal, the two represented two different philosophies. Martin believed racial equality ought to be brought to the USA by non-violent means. On the other hand, Malcolm X believed racial equality ought to be brought

Instead of juxtaposing his views on both, I like to state his opinions that combined opinions of both into one. In doing so you can see where the two had common goals before I show you their separate goals. West mentions that different images have “led to a sanitized Martin and a demonized Malcolm, a gross mistake that overlooks what they share in common and how much they overlap.” Although the two had their differences, they wanted America to turn towards the right path, brotherhood among all races, and the drops of water in the mass body of water that would create rippling change. It’s unbearable for the country to really look at all rape, the violation, and the exploitation of Black people over the hundreds of years. If Martin and Malcom were ever to have an imaginary meeting in which they would conversate and debate their views each would disagree here and there but they would understand the end goal and probably just agree to disagree. West states that, “ it aint a question of what is at the moment credible; it’s a matter of what has integrity, of what is true, what is right, and what is worthy of those who struggled and died for us and for the precious children. That’s what brings Martin and Malcolm together.” At the end of the day, Martin may be praised more but both he and Malcolm ex had equal parts in helping

He grew up learning the value of hard work and the faith in Christianity. Martin didn’t have many if any pollutants in his life growing up. Unlike Malcolm, Martin wasn’t really exposed to the pains and cruelty in racial discrimination at a young age. He became a spiritual leader for the civil rights movement and eventually made his famous “I have a dream” speech in his way of promoting fighting for racial equality in a peaceful way. For Martin, he believed peace was most appropriate and that even the idea of developing and organizing a movement around self-defense was dangerous. He felt this way because in his eyes there was a line so thin between defensive violence and aggressive violence that in the case of action or spoken word if something is taken the wrong way it easily inevitably invites aggression to overpower. Aggression very easily turns into violence without morality and control. Martin believed that instead of diminishing evil, violence multiplies it. Love should overcome hate and Light should over-power the dark. You can’t fight fire with fire. In his “I have a dream” speech he says, “In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy out thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of