Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X are two of the most revered African American leaders during the civil rights movement and the struggle for freedom and racial equality. Their early childhood experiences and socio-cultural circumstances greatly shaped their philosophies on the future of black politics. Even though both men were respected, they shared different ideologies on the issue of racial discrimination. On one hand, Dr. King called for a non-violent resistance that was based on the Christian teachings of loving one’s enemy. Conversely, Malcom X was presented as a political activist who insisted on the use of extremism and violence to achieve racial equality. In many contexts, Dr. King is presented as a religious pacifist whereas Malcom X was believed to be a racial extremist. Their opposing ideologies were shaped by the personal, social and, political aspects which, influenced their leaderships. The purpose of this essay is to provide a comprehensive analysis of Dr. King and Malcom X by exploring the differences in their philosophies on racial equality, justice, liberty and victory over the whites.
Malcolm X’s Ideas on the Black Community’s response to White Oppression
Malcom X was a radical who believed in the use of violent force to achieve freedom and equality for the black community. He inspired his followers to resist racism by any means necessary by noting that “ If Somebody hits you. You send him to the cemetery” ( Dicken & Quest Club, 1992 ). He developed tactics that could be used to counter institutional racism and bring freedom to his race. He also advocated for self-defense against racist law enforcers who brutally attacked the blacks during the rebellions. Malcom X believed that it was time for extremism and as such, a revolution had to felt in America. He believed that those who were in power had misused their authority to establish an equal rule in the society. Malcom knew that for change to be achieved and a better world to be built, extreme methods had to be used ( Dicken & Quest Club, 1992 ). The black community had every right to fight back and reclaim what was rightfully theirs. Such a course of action would be justifiable because the blacks were under extreme oppression, police brutality and discrimination. In my opinion, I believe that violent action is sometimes necessary if we are fighting for our own rights. I, however, do not believe in extremism leading to deaths because it would only cause more damage. Oppressed individuals should only use violence as a means of sending a message to the enemy to show them that they can retaliate and take control of their own freedom.
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Dr. King’s applications of Jesus’ command to ‘love your enemies’
In his fight against oppression and racial discrimination, Dr. King tried to convince his followers to love their enemies instead of using violence to achieve freedom. He taught his supporters to not only love their oppressors, but also pray for them. It is imperative to note that during this era, the black community was subjected to all forms of oppression and brutality which resulted in the deaths of many African Americans. King was, however, determined to preach the gospel of love to the black community because he believed that equality could be achieved without using violence. This is evident in his speech when he says “I want to turn your attention to this subject: 'Loving Your Enemies” ( Dicken & Quest Club, 1992 ).
In his argument, King believed that hate is a ticking time bomb that had the ability to plunge nations into war and annihilation. It was therefore the duty of the African Americans to love the whites so that they could heal the scars deep in their souls and learn to live with the damage that had already been done. He compared hate to an unchecked cancer that if left untreated could corrode the personalities of the blacks and destroy their sense of value and objectivity ( Dicken & Quest Club, 1992 ). Love was therefore the only redemptive power that could bring together the two communities. Dr. King urged his followers to discover the element of goodness in their enemy because this was the path to loving them. In the presented arguments, I agree with King when he says that hate has the ability to corrupt minds and spark unending wars. Sometimes, it is important for people to forgive their enemies because hating them would only lead to more destruction. I, however, disagree with his ideology of discovering the good in an enemy because in most cases, our oppressors display their darkest sides and as such, victims would only be deceiving themselves if they try to see the goodness in their oppressors.
Analysis of the Criticisms
Malcom would have accused King of bowing to the whites and subjugating the black community to a Christian culture that would give the oppressors a chance to gain more control over their freedom. His criticism would be focused on King’s use of non-violence methods and his philosophy of loving an enemy who had subjected them to decades of slavery and discrimination. In addition to this, Malcom would have been against King’s ideology of establishing a good relationship with the enemy. Even though he knew that an individual had the right to be peaceful, respectful, courteous and obey the law, Malcom X believed that an act of oppression could only be retaliated thorough violent action.
King on the other hand would have criticized Malcom X on his asserted use of violence to achieve equality and fight against racism. Since King’s philosophy was based on the Christian teaching of loving the enemy, Malcom’s arguments would have gone against these beliefs. To him, extremism would have only brought more problems to the black community because violent action is caused by hate. To King, Malcom X would be presented as an individual who was blinded by hate in his quest to achieve equality for African Americans. Personally, I would side with King because his philosophy for achieving equality was constructive as opposed to Malcom X who believed in violence as the only way of dealing achieving equality.
Conclusion
From the discussion provided above, it is evident that both leaders fought against the discrimination and oppression of the black community during the civil rights movement. Whereas Malcom X believed in the use of violent force against oppression, Dr. King encouraged his followers to use non-violent strategies. His philosophy was based on the Christian teaching of Jesus’ command to love your enemies even if they oppress you. Malcom X was against this ideology because the nation was plagued by discrimination as well as the Jim Crow laws which denied the blacks the same freedoms as the whites. Both leaders are historically recognized for their ability to stimulate change using their leadership approaches. Even though they used different techniques to reach their goals, they both wanted the black community to receive quality life and equal opportunities in the country. Malcom X and Dr. King are two leaders who fought for the same end-result with distinct and unique leadership styles.
References
Dicken, T. M., & Quest Club (Fort Wayne, Ind.). (1992). Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X: A contrast in style and content .
