Malcolm X: Tiananmen Square (4)

The part at the end of chapter 13 stuck out to me because it was the beginning of Muslim impact on the United States. When the police attacked a Muslim man Malcolm and other Muslims showed up and demanded that he be brought to a hospital. They were all tried of this type of situation. "The crowd was big, and angry, behind the Muslims in front of Harlem Hospital. Harlem's black people were long since sick and tired of police brutality. And they never had seen any organization of black men take a firm stand as we were" (Haley 239). This group of Muslims refused to leave until they were sure that the man was properly taken care of. 

When I was reading this I thought of something we had learned a while ago, first in middle school history. The incident that took place in Tiananmen Square in 1989 also involved a similar kind of situation. A man stood in front of tank refusing to move because of what he believed in. It was unknown who this man was, but the point is that it did not matter who he was but instead the act of heroism that he displayed in not allowing the tanks to pass him because he did not believe that they should be allowed to. The similarities between these events show how there are always people around the world who will do anything to defend what they believe in-even die. I think that this is definitely a good thing. Although sometimes these people are shut down and ignored, I think that without them a lot of things that have been created in today's world would not exist. The world needs people to be persistent and continuously fight for what they believe in because, like in the case with Malcolm, eventually it pays off and respect is earned. 

This link further explains the happenings on June 4, 1989. It speaks of the students before the incident, what actually happened, and what kind of effect it has had on today. 

I also see how this type of drive can be very negative in the world. In my life I can say that I have lived through a lot of history, some good and some bad. September 11, 2001 was also the result of a mass of people fighting for what they believe in. Terrorists, those that took part in this incident specifically and others, were/are so passionate about killing Americans that they were/are always willing to sacrifice themselves for the supposedly amazing afterlife they will experience in which they can live peacefully and eternally with Allah. This also shows another connection with Malcolm X because majority of terrorists are indeed Muslim. What does this say about the way that Muslims still view the white devils of America? 

 

This article supports the fact that the 911 hijackers were Muslim and it also goes on to talk about how the terrorists try to defend their unforgivable act.