AP English Language
Yahaira Sarabia Pacheco
Mrs. Morconi
AP Lang
September 9, 2013
Synthesis Essay
Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were visionaries for the Civil rights Movement. One cannot argue that they were both passionate about equality for colored people. However, they both had different means of fighting for those rights. While Malcolm X went with a more aggressive approach, MLK wanted peace while gaining their rights. While they both have compelling arguments, I agree more with Malcolm X and his approach on this issue. When Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at Lincoln Memorial he makes it clear to everyone that although slavery had been abolished 100 years prior, “The Negro is still not free.” Black people are segregated, beaten, and unacknowledged. Martin Luther King had a dream of living in a nation where “All men are created equal,” and are treated equally. King feels betrayed by the justice system because they were the ones not doing anything about the issue and the police were the ones doing the beating. He is justified in feeling betrayed because the government is made to protect the rights of the people and it is unfair to overlook colored people because of their skin. King’s speeches express the importance of having peaceful protests, sit-ins, boycotts, etc., and that never really got the Civil Rights Movement anywhere. Sure, they integrated schools, but that isn’t put a stop to racial injustice and going about it peacefully didn’t get them towards the main goal in the long run. In Malcolm X’s speech “The Ballot or The Bullet” he says “There’s more segregation now than there was in 1954.” The peaceful approach had things moving backwards instead of forward. Malcolm X’s approach was opposite to that of MLK’s because of the fact that Malcolm believed in having equality right away. Malcolm was tired of waiting around for the rights they deserved. Like Malcolm x mentioned, “We’ve got to fight until we overcome.” No good ever comes
Mrs. Morconi
AP Lang
September 9, 2013
Synthesis Essay
Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were visionaries for the Civil rights Movement. One cannot argue that they were both passionate about equality for colored people. However, they both had different means of fighting for those rights. While Malcolm X went with a more aggressive approach, MLK wanted peace while gaining their rights. While they both have compelling arguments, I agree more with Malcolm X and his approach on this issue. When Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at Lincoln Memorial he makes it clear to everyone that although slavery had been abolished 100 years prior, “The Negro is still not free.” Black people are segregated, beaten, and unacknowledged. Martin Luther King had a dream of living in a nation where “All men are created equal,” and are treated equally. King feels betrayed by the justice system because they were the ones not doing anything about the issue and the police were the ones doing the beating. He is justified in feeling betrayed because the government is made to protect the rights of the people and it is unfair to overlook colored people because of their skin. King’s speeches express the importance of having peaceful protests, sit-ins, boycotts, etc., and that never really got the Civil Rights Movement anywhere. Sure, they integrated schools, but that isn’t put a stop to racial injustice and going about it peacefully didn’t get them towards the main goal in the long run. In Malcolm X’s speech “The Ballot or The Bullet” he says “There’s more segregation now than there was in 1954.” The peaceful approach had things moving backwards instead of forward. Malcolm X’s approach was opposite to that of MLK’s because of the fact that Malcolm believed in having equality right away. Malcolm was tired of waiting around for the rights they deserved. Like Malcolm x mentioned, “We’ve got to fight until we overcome.” No good ever comes