Tuesday, May 17, 2005

"i am malcolm x"

I remember a class I took in college where the professor made the point that from a certain perspective, Malcolm X wasn't remarkable at all. He only did what any man is supposed to do when they found themselves in an oppressive environment; struggle against it. I keep thinking about that idea as I'm reading more about what different folks were up to during the same period. I get the feeling that there have been a lot of activists, in the Panthers and elsewhere, who grew to incorporate more spiritual concerns into their worldview and chose Islam. Malcolm X is just the most famous, and probably the most dynamic orator among them. But there are also many others who took a similar route and made great sacrifices to help their communities. And they shouldn't be forgotten either.

No comments: