When attacked, they must defend by any means which an ordinary human being would find morally justifiable. This is why his ideas were so broad based and encompassed all blacks. He believed not just in their education and self-defense, but that they become self sufficient and not dependent upon whites. This was initially through the agencies of the Nation of Islam ("Malcolm x biography," 2011).

His ideas certainly changed over time. At first, he favored an Afrocentric viewpoint calling for black power through the nation of Islam. However, after his trip to Mecca, Malcolm X started to preach a universal message because he saw peoples of all colors at Mecca. He participated in demonstrations and boycotts and attempted to organize the black community economically. When he broke with Elijah Muhammad, he formed his own organization. The criticism of Malcolm X was not just due to his radicalism, but due to...
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