--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And when I speak, I don't speak as a…" description: "\"And when I speak, I don't speak as a Democrat. Or a Republican. Nor an American. I speak as a victim of America's so-called democracy. You and I have n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/malcolm-x-213_america_and-when-i-speak-i-don-t-speak-as-a-demo_2436869.jpg" --- # And when I speak, I don't speak as a Democrat. Or a… ![“And when I speak, I don't speak as a Democrat. Or a Republican. Nor an American. I speak as a victim of America's so-called democracy. You and I have never seen democracy - all we've seen is hypocrisy. When we open our eyes today and look around America, we see America not through the eyes of…” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/malcolm-x-213_america_and-when-i-speak-i-don-t-speak-as-a-demo_2436869.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/malcolm-x-213_america_and-when-i-speak-i-don-t-speak-as-a-demo_2436869.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/malcolm-x-213_america_and-when-i-speak-i-don-t-speak-as-a-demo_2436869.jpg) > “And when I speak, I don't speak as a Democrat. Or a Republican. Nor an American. I speak as a victim of America's so-called democracy. You and I have never seen democracy - all we've seen is hypocrisy. When we open our eyes today and look around America, we see America not through the eyes of someone who has enjoyed the fruits of Americanism. We see America through the eyes of someone who has been the victim of Americanism. We don't see any American dream. We've experienced only the American nightmare.” [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker critiques American democracy as hypocritical, describing personal experience as victimized rather than benefitted, contrasting the ideal American dream with a harsh reality. **In simple terms:** America's democracy feels like a nightmare for some. Key Takeaway Recognize systemic hypocrisy. Themes politics identity disillusionment Mood cynical critical reflective Type political social commentary critical analysis When to use this quote - activism - policy reform - community organizing - education - media analysis Key Concepts Americanism hypocrisy victimhood Questions to Reflect On - How does personal experience shape political views? - What changes could reduce systemic hypocrisy? A Different Perspective The perspective may overlook positive aspects of democracy for others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [American dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-dream/) [Americanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americanism/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Hypocrisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy/) [Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare/) [Open Our Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-our-eyes/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [You and I have never seen democracy - all we've seen is hypocrisy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-and-i-have-never-seen-democracy-all-we-ve-seen-is-hypocrisy/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I can only speak to the Democrat side, but for the Democrats, everything is aggressively measured, and what that means is if you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/i-can-only-speak-to-the-democrat-side-but-for-the-democrats/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [In my lifetime I have seen democracy begin to expand, not only to include those who have been excluded, but to provide a listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/in-my-lifetime-i-have-seen-democracy-begin-to-expand-not-only-to/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [Far from an excess of majority rule, American democracy has seen the rise of minority rule, with efforts to entrench it in the states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/far-from-an-excess-of-majority-rule-american-democracy-has-seen-the/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [What if democracy does not serve liberty? This question is seldom asked in the West, where democracy is often seen as synonymous with liberalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustafa-akyol/what-if-democracy-does-not-serve-liberty-this-question-is-seldom/) [Mustafa Akyol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustafa-akyol/) > [Mr. President, I wish to speak today, not as a Massachusetts man, nor as a Northern man, but as an American. I speak for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/mr-president-i-wish-to-speak-today-not-as-a-massachusetts-man-nor-as/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [My CIA godfather told me he'd never heard any American speak Japanese so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-seagal/my-cia-godfather-told-me-he-d-never-heard-any-american-speak-japanese/) [Steven Seagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-seagal/) > [An American may speak love with his lips; the Italian must say it with his eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-valentino/an-american-may-speak-love-with-his-lips-the-italian-must-say-it-with/) [Rudolph Valentino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-valentino/) > [To me, I was right from the beginning, because it's my right as an American to speak up and question our president, have my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-maines/to-me-i-was-right-from-the-beginning-because-it-s-my-right-as-an/) [Natalie Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-maines/) > [“Besides, it's my God-given right as an American to speak my mind and fill others' ears with my thoughts, my opinions, my innermost feelings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-anderson/besides-it-s-my-god-given-right-as-an-american-to-speak-my-mind-and/) Tim Anderson > [American actors who voice animated movies are so brilliant at it, because by the nature of American speak, it's full of energy and full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/american-actors-who-voice-animated-movies-are-so-brilliant-at-it/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [No, I’m not an American. I’m one of the 22 million black people who are the victims of Americanism. One of the … victims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/no-i-m-not-an-american-i-m-one-of-the-22-million-black-people-who-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I am not an American; I am one of twenty-two million black people who are victims of Americanism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-am-not-an-american-i-am-one-of-twenty-two-million-black-people-who/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I am not a Republican, nor a Democrat, nor an American, and got sense enough to know it. I am one of the 22…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-am-not-a-republican-nor-a-democrat-nor-an-american-and-got-sense/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“There was something called democracy. As though men were more than physico-chemically equal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/there-was-something-called-democracy-as-though-men-were-more-than/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) ## More by Malcolm X > [If Christianity had asserted itself in Germany, six million Jews would have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-christianity-had-asserted-itself-in-germany-six-million-jews-would/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You can't legislate good will - that comes through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-can-t-legislate-good-will-that-comes-through-education/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-mean-a-real-police-state-just-to-get-a-token-recognition-of-a-law/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Stumbling is not falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/stumbling-is-not-falling/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is going to punish the white man for his misdeeds toward black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-going-to-punish-the-white-man-for-his-misdeeds-toward-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/much-of-what-i-say-might-sound-like-it-s-stirring-up-trouble-but-it-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-in-the-brotherhood-of-all-men-but-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Explore all 891 Malcolm X quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And when I speak, I don't speak as a Democrat. Or a Republican. Nor an American. I speak as a victim of America's so-called democracy. You and I have never seen democracy - all we've seen is hypocrisy. 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