My admiration for Ta-Nehisi Coates is no secret to the assembled Gheorghiage and our assorted hangers-on. Love the hangers-on.
We wrote earlier in the week about T-NC's new book, which is on its way to me. Coates has been getting a lot of props as a thoughtful writer operating from a very different perspective than many public intellectuals, for whom selling books seems to be at least as important as advancing ideas and pushing for a deeper understanding of the forces influencing history.
Coates willingness to challenge dominant narratives seems to have raised some eyebrows. Case in point, a recent interview he conducted with CBS Mornings to promote The Message, his newest work.
These things are generally about as newsworthy as Dave's latest gaffe, but the topic of Israeli/Palestinian relations is a fraught one, as you'll see from the beginning of the segment:
GMA co-host Tony Dokoupil went in on Coates from the jump, accusing him of writing about Israel in a manner no different from an extremist. Coates' calm, thoughtful response is remarkable. If someone called me an extremist (read: terrorist) on national television, I'm quite sure I wouldn't have reacted so sensibly.
Coates may have known this going in, but it's worth noting that Dokoupil has two children and an ex-wife who currently live in Israel, and he converted to Judaism as an adult. It is an understatement to suggest that he's not an impartial interlocutor. It's a measure of Coates' commitment to seeking truth and fostering broader understanding that he didn't take the obvious bait.
The New Republic's Meredith Shiner offered an anguished argument about the media's failure to reckon with the damage that comes from reflexive defense of Israel and immediate rush to claim antisemitism any time that state is criticized. Which is precisely what happened to Coates, and which makes his distinctive voice and choice of topics all the more vital.
Can't wait to read the book.