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Paper Abstract: Discusses the issue of cultural pluralism in the United States using the visions of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Using intentional action to bring about desired changes or benefits. The different methods of each man. Paper Introduction: Cultural Pluralism Martin and MalcolmIntroduction Cultural pluralism is a term that is used by social scientists tocharacterize societies in which multiple groups and perspectives exist and in some instances appear to contradict or conflict with one another Macionis Cultural pluralism in the United States can beunderstood as having made it possible for two such different politicalactivists as Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X to emerge in the s as respected and legitimate spokesmen for African-Americans It hasbeen suggested that cultural Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. For in this instance, as in non- nonviolence as a tactic, history has excluded the possibility of a serious alternative to the policy the Black masses live and have always lived, the policy of integration and separation and pluralism at the same time. While herejected segregation as unjust he felt separatism was the only viableresponse to racism (Hatch, 1979/198 ). In calling for a strict course of nonviolence, Dr. King clearlydifferentiated himself and the movement he would lead from the movementsfrom such groups as the Nation of Islam and the Black Panthers (Nation inTurmoil, 2 2). King derived his visionboth from within and from outside the existing American culture." Thoughdifferent, both men exemplified cultural pluralism at work as well asrational actor theory. Ebony, 49(4), 68-73.Branch, T. (2 3). The centraldifference between the two as described by Bennett (1994) focuses on theissue of how the problems of racism and injustice should be addressed.Whereas King wanted nonviolence to become a form of active confrontation ofwhite racism, Malcolm X believed in the right of self-defense. 23) calls"negative attitudes toward all authority, black or white." While serving aprison term for burglary, Malcolm X became attracted to the ideology ofElijah Muhammad and joined the Nation of Islam, abandoning his "slave name"and assuming the name of Malcolm X. It seeks todramatize the issue so that it can no longer be ignored (National inTurmoil, 2 2, p. 83). In otherwords, whereas Malcolm X expressed black rage more eloquently than Dr.King, Dr. King's program was taken up by those African-Americans who wouldultimately become the most influential change agents in the 196 s. US News & World Report, 113(2 ), 76-81.Macionis, J.J. For both of these leaders, religion became, accordingto Roger Hatch (1979/198 ) a key source of inspiration and of the evidenceeach man needed to identify his own agenda for change. Martin Luther King, Jr. The legacy of Malcolm X. Lewis Lord and Jennye Thornton (1992) state that unlike King, MalcolmX was not considered an admirable figure during his lifetime other than themembers and supporters of Nation of Islam. Thesophisticated "and politically astute Black masses chose nonviolence as aviable tactic promising certain results without giving up their option ofself-defense and without abandoning their well justified suspicion of thelove or good faith of White Americans" (Bennett, 1994, p. The critical difference between the two leaders wasthat Dr. King accepted as valuable the principal components of Americandemocratic ideology and for much of his adult life, Malcolm X rejectedthose views. Overview of Dr. King's Program Taylor Branch (1988) described Martin Luther King, Jr. It will be argued thatboth men, as political activists, represent the manifestations of whatVerba, Schlozman, and Brady (2 ) call the rational actor theory in whichintentional action is undertaken in order to bring about desired changes orbenefits. The purpose of this research report is to consider the differencesand similarities between Dr. King and Malcolm X. He did not reject activism or resistance and insteadunderstood nonviolent resistance as an active way of responding toinjustice. USA Today, May 2 , 21.Mattson, K. Nation in Turmoil. What is perhaps most significant when these two men arecompared is that Malcolm X died more closely aligned with thesociopolitical views of Dr. King than with the views of Elijah Muhammad.Both King and Malcolm X were giants whose contributions to the twentiethcentury civil rights movement should not be underestimated. (1988). Since no country on the face of this earth is prepared to accept 3 million African-Americans and since there are not enough boats, planes and planks available to transport 3 million Blacks anywhere, not to mention the minor point of whether 3 million Blacks want to go anywhere else, it would seem that there is no viable African-American nationalist position other than the traditional and far from radical U.S. Ebscohost.com.Bennett, L. Bennett (1994)comes to the conclusion that it is not necessary to choose only one ofthese men and to suggest that one was a better leader than the other orthat one offered a better course for bringing about change. It was during his time with the Nation of Islam that Malcolm X'spolitical activism was most significant. Cultural pluralism in the United States can beunderstood as having made it possible for two such different politicalactivists as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2 ). as initially areluctant civil rights leader who was pulled into the Southern ChristianLeadership Conference (SCLC) and participated due to his belief that as aman of the cloth, he had an obligation to care for his flock.Additionally, Branch (1988) considers King to have been drawn to nonviolentprotest because of his personal admiration for Mohandas Gandhi, who was oneof Dr. King's intellectual and spiritual heroes. Many rational actors,including both Dr. King and Malcolm X appear to believe that their actionscan make a difference and that these actions will bring about change thatin and of itself will ameliorate some problem, right some wrong, orgenerate civic gratification. He followed the lead of ElijahMuhammad in calling for a cultural revolution which would eliminate thebrainwashing to which he felt African-Americans had been subjected bymainstream white society. Martin or Malcolm? Martin and Malcolm, two 2 th century giants. & Thornton, J. Hatch (1979/198 , p. Racism and religion. 34) says that"for Malcolm, for whom the present system is so inadequate his vision mustcome from the outside in this case from Islam. Scholarly analyses ofthe acts of Dr. King and Malcolm X and their teachings will serve as theevidence on which this distinction is based.Discussion Rational Actor Theory Verba, et al (2 ) state that rational actor theory is one ofseveral dominant modes of analysis in political science, but in one of itsversions leads to the conclusion that a rational citizen will not bepolitically active. Journal of Theoretical Politics, 12(3), 243-268. 3 )." In describing Dr. King's activism, Clayborne Carson (2 5) describeshim, along with Malcolm X, as the most recognizable African-American iconsof the twentieth century, but also maintains that King departed fromMalcolm X on the question of black nationalism and argued that nonviolentprotest was needed to avoid the kind of hostility and violence that waslikely to emerge from separatist activism. ethnic strategy of controlling the culture, economics and politics of your own community.Thus, as even Malcolm clearly recognized in the final years of his lifeafter he left the Nation of Islam, the inclusionary perspective of MartinLuther King was the perspective that would eventually take precedence overseparatism.Conclusions Both Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther king can be characterized asrational actors, change agents, and as men who drew upon differentreligious belief systems to call for change throughout the United States(Hatch, 1979/198 ). It hasbeen suggested that cultural pluralism is very much an artifact ofmulticulturalism and diversity (Macionis, 2 3). In some instances, rational actors have beliefs that representepistemic validity, "that is that they accord with the best evidenceavailable to the chooser" (Verba, Schlozman, & Brady, 2 , p. Consequently, "the civil rights movement was an ethicalstruggle" and the central goal of the movement was "to awaken a sense ofshame within the oppressor and challenge his false sense of superiority.The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creationof the beloved community (King, in Mattson, 1999, p. (1994). Both literally gave their lives in the struggle to which theywere committed. (1999). There is another side called justice." In this way, Dr. Kingconsistently linked the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus Christ to thedemands for change that were expressed by members of the civil rightsmovement. OAH Magazine of History, 19(1), 22-26.Hatch, R.D. He was also convinced that no accommodation withwhite society could be achieved and to that end he admitted that his hobbyhad become "stirring up Negroes" (Lord & Thornton, 1992, p. Rational action and political activity. Julianne Malveaux(2 5) has pointed out that Malcolm X was very much a "work in progress,"evolving from a hustler to Nation of Islam minister and nationalist leader. Where Dr. Kingrelied upon the Christian Bible in calling for racial equality and fullintegration, Malcolm X drew heavily upon the teachings of the Nation ofIslam which positioned blacks as the original people, whites as a failedexperiment who had become devils, and American society as unlikely ever tochange sufficiently to justify African-Americans' acceptance of inclusion.Though both men were rational actors, Hatch (1979/198 , p. It was only at the end of his lifethat Malcolm X began to find a role for white Americans in bringing aboutneeded social change. Both Dr. King and Malcolm X focused on protesting the status quo.Both men were cognizant of the fact that American society was in many waysracist and devalued people of color and individuals from a wide assortmentof different national, racial, ethnic, and linguistic minority groups(Hatch, 1979/198 ). Black Collegian, 3 (2), 158-159.Anonymous. Dr. King, as described by Kevin Mattson (1999),understood that the central issue facing modern political organizers duringhis lifetime was the necessity of injecting morality into the pragmaticpolitical arena. It was during this periodthat Malcolm X turned away from Elijah Muhammad after learning that hisleader had been having affairs with his secretaries. 16. and Malcolm X. (2 2). Dr. King and Malcolm X both died violent deaths because of theiractivism. It is also important, saidCarson (2 5), to recognize that Martin Luther King was very much theproduct of an African-American middle class and a strong Christian familytradition. ReferencesAdams, R.L. 16). and Malcolm X to emerge in the196 s as respected and legitimate spokesmen for African-Americans. Bennett (1994, p. In the final years of his life, he began retreating from some of hisearlier views and while he did not necessarily accept King's nonviolentprotest strategy Malcolm X did come to believe that separatism would not bein the best interests of African-Americans (Adams, 2 ). He was confrontational and saw confrontation with Jim Crowsystems and authorities as a necessity not merely to publicize injusticeand unjust systems, but also to demonstrate convincingly that the movementwould not rest until it achieved its goals. Two vastly different religious belief systems underpinnedeach leader's activism, further supporting the assertion that culturalpluralism creates different approaches and different strategies forbringing about meaningful change and understanding a phenomenon. New York: Simon and Schuster.Carson, C. (1992). He was, therefore, a militantbut not a violent militant. Social Policy, 3 (2), 29-32.Verba, S., Schlozman, K.L., & Brady, H.E. (1979/198 ). In an important document, the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Dr.King articulated his philosophy: "Nonviolent direct action seeks to createa crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantlyrefused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. 141)quotes King as follows: "Love is one of the pinnacle parts of the Christianfaith. Malcolm X and His Activism Carson (2 5) described Malcolm X as having become a ward of thecourt after his mother was institutionalized for psychological problems.Malcolm X was raised by white guardians in any number of reform schools andfoster homes and as a young high school student he attempted to become"white." However, during his early adulthood, Malcolm X became involved incriminal activity and drug use, developing what Carson (2 5, p. Kennedy. Parting the Waters. Hecreated Nation of Islam mosques and temples throughout the United Statesand saw himself as Elijah Muhammad's messenger until December 1, 1963, ninedays after the murder of President John F. The Journal of Religious Thought, 96(2), 26-36.Lord, L. 3 ) says that "for the mostpart, Malcolm gave priority to personal, moral, and religious activity.Such activities can help black people to overcome a lifetime ofbrainwashing about their inherent inferiority." Comparison of the Two Leaders Lerone Bennett (1994) asked an important question: do we need tochoose between the greatness of Martin Luther King and that of Malcolm X inidentifying a genuine hero for the African-American people? Malcolm X legacy still resonates today. He went on to become the nation's bestknown advocate of separatism and, according to Russell Adams (2 ), wasfully committed to black liberation while arguing that any means necessaryshould be employed to achieve equality characterized by separatism. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.Malveaux, J. Cultural Pluralism: Martin and MalcolmIntroduction Cultural pluralism is a term that is used by social scientists tocharacterize societies in which multiple groups and perspectives exist and,in some instances, appear to contradict or conflict with one another(Macionis, 2 3). 74) compares the programs of these two men asfollows: There is equally no case, one might add, for pursuing the Malcolm/Martin dichotomy on the level of the integrationist/nationalist fallacy. (2 5). The unfinished dialogue of Martin Luther King, Jr. Unlike Malcolm X, Martin Luther King was reared in a gentlefamily and took a fairly traditional path toward education and leadership.This distinguished him on the psychosocial level from Malcolm X andreflects that fact that within the African-American community there aremany different communities. It was at this juncture that Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam andbegan a series of travels, including a visit to Mecca, where he learnedthat Elijah Muhammad's teaching that whites were devils by naturecontradicted orthodox Islam (Lord & Thornton, 1992). It isfor this reason that Dr. King, in his leadership of the civil rightsmovement, chose the path of nonviolent resistance to unjust laws andrepressive customs and sought the full integration of African-Americansinto mainstream society while Malcolm X through most of his life rejectedAmerican society and called for black separatism. Malcolm was ordered tobe silent for 9 days by Muhammad after Malcolm had publicly gloated aboutthe president's death and outraged the public. Branch (1988, p. We shall overcome. (2 ). Introduction to Sociology. However, these same scholars note that there are manyversions of rational actor theory among which the idea that people becomeinvolved in political activities because they are motivated by specificdesires or the anticipation of valued benefits. 245). 71). He felt, as did Elijah Muhammad,that what was needed for blacks was the creation of black-owned businesses,financial institutions, schools, and other self-help activities. (2 5). If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.