--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a white man puts his arm around me…" description: "\"If a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/malcolm-x-213_america_if-a-white-man-puts-his-arm-around-me-vo_2197126.jpg" --- # If a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's… ![“If a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy. And what America is trying to do is pass laws to force whites to…” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/malcolm-x-213_america_if-a-white-man-puts-his-arm-around-me-vo_2197126.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/malcolm-x-213_america_if-a-white-man-puts-his-arm-around-me-vo_2197126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/malcolm-x-213_america_if-a-white-man-puts-his-arm-around-me-vo_2197126.jpg) > “If a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy. And what America is trying to do is pass laws to force whites to pretend that they want Negroes into their schools or into - in their places of employment.” [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. He distinguishes genuine brotherhood from forced integration, calling out hypocrisy in compulsory racial equality measures. **In simple terms:** True brotherhood cannot be forced. Key Takeaway Reject imposed equality; seek authentic solidarity. Themes race relations civil rights authenticity Mood critical defiant Type political philosophical When to use this quote - community building - educational reform - workplace diversity - activism Key Concepts social justice hypocrisy forced integration Questions to Reflect On - How can authentic solidarity be fostered without coercion? - What alternatives exist to achieve true equality? A Different Perspective Forced policies may provoke resistance rather than genuine change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Employment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employment/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Hypocrisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [White man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-man/) ## Related quotes > [If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-if-a-white-man-puts-his-arm-around-me-voluntarily-that-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [If a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-a-white-man-puts-his-arm-around-me-voluntarily-that-s-brotherhood/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Nowhere in history has the white man been brotherly toward anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/nowhere-in-history-has-the-white-man-been-brotherly-toward-anyone/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The only time the white man is brotherly toward you is when he can use you, when he can exploit you, when he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-only-time-the-white-man-is-brotherly-toward-you-is-when-he-can/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ All of us were mischievous at some time or another, I more so than any of the rest. \[My brother\] Philbert and I kept… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/all-of-us-were-mischievous-at-some-time-or-another-i-more-so-than-any/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [In the past, yes, I have made sweeping indictments of all white people. I never will be guilty of that again - as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/in-the-past-yes-i-have-made-sweeping-indictments-of-all-white-people/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The white man knows what a revolution is. He knows that the Black Revolution is worldwide in scope and in nature. The Black Revolution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-white-man-knows-what-a-revolution-is-he-knows-that-the-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I don't trust any white man who teaches Negroes to turn the other cheek or to be nonviolent, which means to be defenseless in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-don-t-trust-any-white-man-who-teaches-negroes-to-turn-the-other/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [One thing that the white man can never give the black man is self respect. The black man in the ghettos, have to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/one-thing-that-the-white-man-can-never-give-the-black-man-is-self/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The Negro fought and bled and died in every war the white man waged, and he still won't give you justice. You nursed his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-negro-fought-and-bled-and-died-in-every-war-the-white-man-waged/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is about to eliminate the white man from this earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-about-to-eliminate-the-white-man-from-this-earth/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Since the white people collectively have practiced the worst form of hatred against Negroes in America and they know that they are guilty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/since-the-white-people-collectively-have-practiced-the-worst-form-of/) [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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## 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! 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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? 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