Malcolm X's rap of Democrats
Published Feb 13, 2005 8:45 PM
Recently, this writer referenced the little-known and suppressed speech
prepared by then-SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) leader (now
U.S. Congressman) John Lewis. Lewis was urged by civil rights leaders to "tone
down" his speech, and he did so.
At around the same time, another Black
leader, fiery Black nationalist (and former Nation of Islam Minister) Malcolm X,
was giving his own biting analysis and commentary on the duplicity of Democrats
when it came to Blacks.
In his historic 1964 "The Ballot or the Bullet"
speech, Malcolm made crystal clear his view of Democratic betrayal of Black
interests:
"In the present administration they have in the House of
Representatives 257 Democrats to only 177 Republicans. They control two-thirds
of the House vote. ... In the Senate there are 67 Senators who are of the
Democratic Party. Only 33 of them are Republicans. Why, the Democrats have got
the government sewed up, and you're the one who sewed it up for them. And what
have they given you for it? Four years in office, and just now getting around to
some civil-rights legislation. Just now, after everything else is gone, out of
the way, they're going to sit down and play with you all summer long--the same
old giant con game that they call filibuster. ...
"They get all the Negro
vote, and after they get it, the Negro gets nothing in return. All they did when
they got to Washington was give a few big Negroes big jobs. Those big Negroes
didn't need big jobs, they already had jobs. That's camouflage, that's trickery,
that's treachery, window-dressing. I'm not trying to knock out the Democrats for
the Republicans, we'll get to them in a minute. But it's true--you put the
Democrats first and the Democrats put you last. ...
"The Democrats have
never kicked the Dixiecrats out of the party. The Dixiecrats bolted themselves
once [in 1948], but the Democrats didn't get them out. Imagine, these lowdown
Southern segregationists put the Northern Democrats down. ... They have got a
con game going on, a political con game, and you and I are in the middle. It's
time for you and me to wake up and start looking at it like it
is."
Malcolm X reminds us all of the ongoing war
at home.
He
reminds us that voting is but one (and that a minor) part of politics. That it
is important to speak truth to power. That it is important, indeed vital, to
dissent. That it is necessary, sometimes, to step outside of a thing to see it
clearly. And that political organizations have different interests from those
who vote for them.
It has been exactly 40 years since Malcolm delivered
his powerful speech, and, if it be admitted that--yes--things HAVE changed, we
must also admit that some things have stood the test of time.
The present
Democratic Party "tolerates" Blacks, but is virtually racing to the right. It
tried to out-Bush Bush, by posing as the "real war" party. This despite the fact
that, according to polls, Blacks were the most anti-war segment of the
population. It wasn't anti-war because of any soft, cottony reasons, but knew
that young people would bear the brunt of a war, for a cause that
certainly
is questionable.
It's been 40 years. How well have we learned Malcolm's
lessons? Or have we been conned, once again, into thinking that the ballot box
is the doorway to our true freedom?
How long have we voted for people who
have not voted for us?
In virtually every state of the so-called Union,
there are tens (if not hundreds!) of thousands of folks who have had their votes
disregarded, trashed, uncounted, "lost," and even stolen! What kind of
"democracy" tolerates such a thing?
In truth, this isn't a democracy--it's
a kleptocracy: a government of thieves. For who else profits from stolen items?
In truth, democracy itself has been stolen by computerized paperless voting
machines; by ambitious party functionaries; by a political process that has
grown fat by feeding on social discontent.
Let us learn from Malcolm's
insights, and build political power independent of the two, major corporate
parties.
Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World.
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email:
[email protected]
Subscribe
[email protected]
Support independent news
DONATE