Pathos And Bullet

Known for his passionate, fiery speeches, Malcolm X delivered what some think to be his best speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, on April 12, 1964. Malcom wanted to invoke change in the hearts of his listeners, and push them to make change by any means necessary. X felt the way to make change is through unity of black citizens, using their voting right to demand change, and if that did not work, violence was an option to push back. Using many rhetorical strategies, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, became one of the most powerful speeches in the world, to this day.
Historical Context A country born with division, a sense of unrest began to sweep the nation's oppressed citizens. Pushing for equality and justice, the Civil Rights Movement in America

Fighting the rhetorical problems were difficult, but X’s usage of rhetorical strategies turned this speech into a powerful speech that reached many listeners. One rhetorical strategy used by X was the use of pathos. Pathos, or the appeal to the emotions of the audience is a strong method of making a speech more impactful. Inciting anger in the hearts of the audience was a way to get those listening to feel fired up about the issue at hand. “The white man… the white man is too intelligent to let anyone else take charge of their government” (X, 1964). Using the term “the white man” to speak of the government easily allows Malcolm to show the audience who the enemy is, and bring out anger towards those in charge of the government. Another great example of pathos is when Malcolm states, “Why does it look like it might be the year of the ballot or the bullet? Because Negroes have listened to the trickery and the lies and the false promises of the white man now for too long, and they're fed up” (X, 1964). Words like “trickery’’ and “lies” are used to make the audience feel and realize that the government is the one wronging them. The government is responsible for the injustices faced, and black people have been tricked into this way of life, and it’s time for the black citizens to feel angry. Ethos is another strategy that is found within the speech, or the way he identifies with the audience. Wanting to combat the misconception towards his religion, he starts off his speech by identifying himself with the audience in a way to show the audience he is worthy of listening to. He states the fact that he is still a muslim, and will always be a muslim, but that is his personal business. “I am a Muslim minister. The same as they are Christian ministers, I'm a Muslim minister. And I don't believe in fighting today on any one front, but on all