Civil Rights icon Malcolm X was always very wary of politicians, even Black politicians. And he warned the Black community to always hold their Black politicians accountable.
“The Ballot or the Bullet”
In his famous “Ballot or the Bullet” speech given in the spring of 1964 at King Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit one month after splitting with the Nation Of Islam, Malcolm X said: “The political philosophy of Black nationalism only means that the Black man should control the politics and the politicians in his own community. The time when white people can come in our community and get us to vote for them so that they can be our political leaders and tell us what to do and what not to do is long gone.”
Understand Politics And Politicians
In “The Ballot Or The Bullet” speech, Malcolm X said, “We must, we must understand the politics of our community and we must know what politics is supposed to produce. We must know what part politics play in our lives. And until we become politically mature, we will always be misled, led astray, or deceived or maneuvered into supporting someone politically who doesn’t have the good of our community at
heart. So the political philosophy of Black nationalism only means that we will have to carry on a program, a political program, of reeducation – to open our people’s eyes, make us become more politically conscious, politically mature. And then, we will – whenever we are ready to cast our ballot, that ballot will be cast for a man of the community, who has the good of the community at heart.”Democrat Or Republican: One In The Same?
During his “Ballot Or The Bullet” speech, Malcom X spoke of the mistrust he had for politicians, be they Democrat or Republican.
“I’m one of the 22 million Black victims of the Democrats
. One of the 22 million Black victims of the Republicans and one of the 22 million Black victims of Americanism. And when I speak, I don’t speak as a Democrat or a Republican, nor an American. I speak as a victim of America’s so-called democracy. You and I have never seen democracy – all we’ve seen is hypocrisy. “Is There Really A Revolution?
According to Malcolm X, the fight for Black people are their rights was being run by “outsiders.” He has been quoted as saying: “The Negro revolution is controlled by foxy white liberals, by the Government itself. But the Black Revolution is controlled only by God.
Sell Out
According to Malcolm X, both parties and politicians (white and Black) have sold out Black people. He once said: “We won’t organize any Black man to be a Democrat or a Republican because both of them have sold us out. Both of them have sold us out; both parties have sold us out. Both parties are racist, and the Democratic Party is more racist than the Republican Party.”
This article was written by Ann Brown for The Moguldom Nation.