Originally posted by Quiero Mota
www.white-history.com
That didn't seem so bad until I saw the "breakdown of racial homogeneity" part.
Originally posted by Quiero Mota
www.white-history.com
That didn't seem so bad until I saw the "breakdown of racial homogeneity" part.
Originally posted by Mindset
He became muslim in jail.As we all know, all muslims are extremists.
Now, now.
I think all religions are utter bollocks.
And; from listening to a few of his speeches he seemed very extreme when he came and talked a bit about religion. Correct me if i'm wrong but isn't 'Nation of Islam' some extremist group in the US?
extremeist in that they used racial and religious language to attack a system that was inherently racist and oppressive? yes
extremeist in terms of what we understand as muslim extremism today? no
EDIT: what I don't really condone a lot of X's more hateful stuff, you have to remember, back then, there was a "white man", in so far as white people controlled everything and fought against the rights of blacks.
Originally posted by inimalist
extremeist in that they used racial and religious language to attack a system that was inherently racist and oppressive? yesextremeist in terms of what we understand as muslim extremism today? no
That's a fair point actually, makes sense to me. I just heard somewhere that 'Nation of Islam' was a nonsensical. Weren't they the ones allegedly behind the death of Malcolm X? Sorry for the questions I just don't really hear much about him on this end of the pond.
Considering the level of racism that white americans showed in the time period and before... can anyone say lynch mob? or being beaten by water from fire hoses? No. he was not a racist. He was a man with extreme views that were completely opposite of the views and values of his time. Those kinds of people tend to stick out and be called horrible things. Even now looking back, I don't think he was racist.
Originally posted by siriuswriter
Considering the level of racism that white americans showed in the time period and before... can anyone say lynch mob? or being beaten by water from fire hoses? No. he was not a racist. He was a man with extreme views that were completely opposite of the views and values of his time. Those kinds of people tend to stick out and be called horrible things. Even now looking back, I don't think he was racist.
If we accept that white people of the time were racist toward blacks, and he held equally extreme views toward whites then I think we sort of have to accept that he was racist, though his feelings were definitely understandable and maybe justified.
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
If we accept that white people of the time were racist toward blacks, and he held equally extreme views toward whites then I think we sort of have to accept that he was racist, though his feelings were definitely understandable and maybe justified.
I agree with this - although I don't agree with his views being understandable or even maybe justified.
If you fight the monster, take care you don't become one is type of philosophy that applies here.
Originally posted by lil bitchiness
I agree with this - although I don't agree with his views being understandable or even maybe justified.If you fight the monster, take care you don't become one is type of philosophy that applies here.
Easier said than done. Its all very nice in theory but I think it helps if you know what it feels like to be in his situation.
Originally posted by Deadline
Easier said than done. Its all very nice in theory but I think it helps if you know what it feels like to be in his situation.
I'm not going to pretend or suggest that I do.
Philosophy of not becoming that which you're trying to fight is not an easy one, and not everyone can do it - Malcom X evidently couldn't because he became that which he was so vehemently flighting against. It ultimately takes a lot in terms of discipline, understanding and virtue in order to fight something and not ending up perpetuating the very practice you wish to eradicate. I do not think that I would be able in any way to do it.
He must have been in an unimaginable position, yes, but equally, black people aren't the only ones in the history of the humanity who were enslaved nor whose rights were denied.
Originally posted by lil bitchiness
I agree with this - although I don't agree with his views being understandable or even maybe justified.If you fight the monster, take care you don't become one is type of philosophy that applies here.
You don't see how being a black man living in a place where white people really do hold every position of power could feel that sort of rage? I mean there were literally city officials that drove off blacks with cattle prods and didn't get voted out of office by their constituency. It's very hard to look at that from the inside and say "maybe white folks aren't so bad."
I think it's very understandable. While I don't think everything he did and said was justified I can see the arguments.
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
You don't see how being a black man living in a place where white people really do hold every position of power could feel that sort of rage? I mean there were literally city officials that drove off blacks with cattle prods and didn't get voted out of office by their constituency. It's very hard to look at that from the inside and say "maybe white folks aren't so bad."I think it's very understandable. While I don't think everything he did and said was justified I can see the arguments.
Right, so your argument is perpetuating hate is understandable - instead of working towards changing the system, preaching more hate is actually going to somehow help the blacks fight the system and it will moreover make white people go ''oooh right, I have seen the error of my ways''.
Even he himself came to release that his blatant racist and aggressive comments were unnecessary and counter-productive and that stereotyping an entire group of people was wrong.
Originally posted by lil bitchiness
Right, so your argument is perpetuating hate is understandable - instead of working towards changing the system, preaching more hate is actually going to somehow help the blacks fight the system and it will moreover make white people go ''oooh right, I have seen the error of my ways''.And I don't agree with how "even he" is phrased, I could imagine a lesser person to never have realized. We are all a influenced by society around us, and I could not say in good conscience that if I had lived his life in his time that I would not have felt hate for white people and I could also not say that I am sure I would have been able to realize and change, can you?
Even he himself came to release that his blatant racist and aggressive comments were unnecessary and counter-productive and that stereotyping an entire group of people was wrong.
I'd say it is understandable, it may not be justifiable or smart or moral or whatever, but I can understand why it happens under those circumstances. To be fair I can also understand why the more standard racism against blacks happens, but it's certainly not as understandable. Say I could understand how for most people being the target of such thorough discrimination in society it is easy to develop a lot of hatred, perhaps misguided hatred.
Now I am not saying that's true for Malcolm X, I don't know much about him, I'm just talking hypothetically for any person living under such circumstances.