So in continuing my research, I just finished The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  I will also read a book about him from someone else’s perspective, to make sure I’m hearing/learning multiple sides of the story.  I found the book fascinating.  However, the most telling part for me was the two entries at the back of the book.  Two men wrote their take on Malcolm X.  Both of them said the same thing.  Whether or not they agreed with everything he said, they admired his passion and bravery.  They also admired that he seemed to be a genuine person.  He always spoke how he was really feeling.  That part of him really intrigued me.  I feel like that’s what we’re missing the most these days…that complete honesty.  Removing those masks and telling it like everyone else is already thinking.

I have to admit that I had a hard time getting through certain parts of the book.  It’s never enjoyable to read about how a Muslim representative, or anyone for that matter, considered me and my race to be a “devil race.”  This race, according to Malcolm X’s brief history lesson in the book, was created by Mr. Yacob in response to his dissatisfaction of the original black race.  He was “embittered toward Allah now, decided, as revenge, to create upon the earth a devil race-a bleached-out, white race of people (p. 168).”

I continued reading though, because I want to know the truth about people from all different backgrounds from every perspective.  I came across a paragraph that hit me between the eyes. Malcolm X is describing how he used his time in prison to teach himself to read, and to read everything he could get his hands on about every subject imaginable.  He writes, “Book after book showed me how the white man had brought upon the world’s black, brown, red and yellow peoples every variety of the sufferings of exploitation.  I saw how since the sixteenth century, the so-called “Christian trader” white man began to ply the seas in his lust for Asian and African empires, and plunder and power.  I read, I saw, how the white man has never gone among the non-white peoples bearing the Cross in the true manner and spirit of Christ’s teachings-meek, humble, and Christ-like (p. 180).”

I remember reading something that Ghandi once said along the same lines, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

I felt like I just taken a punch in the stomach.  The reason Malcolm X was making me so angry is because what he said was true.  The anger I felt wasn’t real anger, but guilt.  How do I undo all of these great injustices that my own race has ravaged upon everyone else?

Later on in his life, Malcolm X was able to travel to Mecca.  While there, he had a major transformation of beliefs due to the kindness that people of all races and ethnicities showed him.  He spoke about it saying, “That morning was when I first began to re-appraise the ‘white man.’ It was when I first began to perceive that ‘white man,’ as commonly used, means complexion only secondarily; primarily it described attitudes and actions.  In America, ‘white man’ meant specific attitudes and actions toward the black man, and toward all other non-white men.  But in the Muslim world, I had seen that men with white complexions were more genuinely brotherly than anyone else had ever been (p. 340)”

He continued by saying that “the people of all races, colors, from all over the world coming together as one!  It has proved to me the power of the One God (p. 345.)”  While Malcolm X and I believe in a different “one God,” we don’t disagree at all that the brotherhood and love shown by people of all shape, size, color, race, etc. is how a person can tell the difference between a true believer or not.  There’s a worship song out called “They’ll Know We Are Christians by our Love.”

Malcolm X did almost a complete 180 in his beliefs when he returned from Mecca.  Instead of preaching as part of the “Black Muslims,” as he had previously, he decided to take that kind of hate speech out of his teachings and focus more on how life COULD be if we could showed brotherly love across all races and sexes and backgrounds like that of other countries.  I believe that this sudden change is what caused his former people to assassinate him.

The thought that stuck with me since finishing the book is this: if someone as extreme as Malcolm X could have his beliefs changed simply by being shown a little kindness and respect, how much more effect could we have on this divided nation if we simply decided to hold the door open for a stranger, or to step out of our comfort zone and experience something as a minority, or to invite a family in need to share a meal at your house.  As much guilt as I feel from what the white race has done in the past, I have to be very careful not to become overwhelmed.  I am only one person.  I can stretch myself and share my experiences with others, but I can’t force anyone else to change.  But man if we could get a group of people to be a force for good, a force for brotherly love no matter what your color, sex, or religion, think of the impact that could have!

In closing, I want to hear from you.  What is one thing that you’ve done to show brotherly love to someone who was completely different from you?  Or if you can’t think of anything right away, don’t get down on yourself.  What is one thing you want to do in the next two weeks?  Let me know below.  I want to hear some encouraging stories!