On Malcolm's Birthday…

Today marks the day that Malcolm X would have turned 83 years old. To commemorate the event, The Root's (and Princeton's) Melissa Lace-Hartwell reflects upon the man, his flaws, and his legacy.

"Many of our modern leaders live by cynical double standards. They practice slippery personal ethics, while lecturing the masses about morality. They consume conspicuously, while telling ordinary folks to save their pennies. They father children outside of marriage, then blame single mothers for the violence in black communities. They blame individuals for their circumstances, rather than help them deconstruct, understand and overcome the historical, structural, political, reasons for their plight. Malcolm taught us better. He criticized the powerful rather than the powerless. He pointed to the pathologies of the privileged instead of the failings of the oppressed. His own story of redemption was emblematic of the possibilities available to even the most disempowered, but when he pointed to solutions, they were consistently collective."

May 19, 2008 · posted by Lauren Williams, Stereohyped · Link · 7 Responses

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Tagged: History, Malcolm X

Comments (7)

No. 1 · Chic Noir

I wonder what Malcolhm would think of us today. I wonder what he would have to say about this country and world issues also.

Posted: May 19, 2008 at 5:37 pm

No. 2 · Chic Noir

*Malcolm*
sorry

Posted: May 19, 2008 at 5:38 pm

No. 3 · Chic Noir

And Obama, China and Africa today.

Posted: May 19, 2008 at 6:36 pm

No. 4 · Monie

Chic Noir,

I think he'd be speaking out against corporate rap and I'm pretty sure he would have endorsed Sen. Obama.

Posted: May 19, 2008 at 8:05 pm

No. 5 · Chic Noir

Me too Monie. I wonder if he would be like DR. King in the Boondocks cartoon.

Posted: May 19, 2008 at 9:13 pm

No. 6 · Monie

Chic Noir,

I don't think Dr. King would have been like they portrayed him in the Boondoocks. (lol) I also think that things would be different in general if Malcolm where still here. He would have been around to remind us all not to backtrack and where we have come from.

Posted: May 20, 2008 at 11:45 am

No. 7 · Neenee

"A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself."
Malcolm X.
"I believe that there will ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and those that do the oppressing. I believe that there will be a clash between those who want freedom, justice and equality for everyone and those who want to continue the systems of exploitation."
Malcolm X.

Just thought I'd post some quotes he made. I always wondered what are world would be like if he were still with us.

Posted: May 20, 2008 at 1:11 pm

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