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.
You could hear his voice shake a bit, but he kept his cool.
ReplyDeleteWright Thompson’s new book “The Barn” also seems excellent. Todays PTFO interview has my interest piqued.
So I watched that segment -- we started watching CBS Mornings during COVID because we found it the most newsy of the morning shows, and I love Gayle King. Somehow we're still watching it, though not quite everyday. I'll say that from what and how Coates was talking (and let me say, I am a fan of his other books big time), I was not particularly pleased. I actually didn't know Tony's background of the ex and 2 kids in Israel (thanks for the info), but I noted his pushing him from the jump, but also for Coates to say this isn't complicated - or to agree when Gayle laid that at him - for me, that's BS. The history of what happened in 1948, what the Palestinians chose and didn't choose, absolutely matters. And the history of the nations around matters, too. And the culpability of the US and other nations in the creation of Israel and its continuation matters, of course. It's definitely complicated. To say it isn't is BS. And perhaps most importantly, the majority of people in Israel and Palestine, regardless of faith tradition or none, they see a reality of two states....Much of the problem is that the leaders on both sides have historically (and still) are extremists who don't mind collateral damage of citizens in massive numbers. I'm certainly not claiming any particular or special knowledge of the area, its politics, or history, but I stand by these comments (from my own graduate work and the relationships I have with colleagues whose expertise is Near East Studies). Sorry for the long response, I'm a bit feisty this morning.
ReplyDeleteno apology necessary, donna. coates has said variations on the 'complicated' theme previously. i take it to mean that the amorality of one people subjugating another isn't complicated, not the process by which we got there. and on that point, i agree with him.
ReplyDeleteCoates had a decent conversation with Jon Stewart on the Daily Show Monday evening, though it was undercut a bit by Stewart's current tendency to gasbag and tell his very interesting guests what he thinks, rather than stick to simple inquiry about what *they* think.
ReplyDeletemuch heavier stuff over here than my awkward and amusing gaffes. watched the video, interesting choice by coates in how to present this conflict. i agree with donna, though, it's really complicated over there. we lived there for three years. you need to take every perspective with a grain of salt, everyone's story is some kind of propaganda, the spaces they are defending and living in are WAY smaller than in america, and some of these people are VERY religious-- which always feels a little nuts to me . . .
ReplyDeletemy daughter's roommate in boulder is from austin, and her family has a tradition of getting a bunch of tickets to both weekends of the austin city limits festival and inviting friends and family to join them. very cool. my kid can't go this year, but maybe she'll make it at some point.
ReplyDeleteHoly shit
ReplyDeleteCan the Mets bullpen hold this lead?
ReplyDeleteMy kid's softball (re)debut was a success. Started at 3rd. Caught a pop up. Snagged a bullet from her catcher and tagged a runner out. Got a hit and scored shortly thereafter. Gonna need to get a chair for those bleachers.
ReplyDeleteI’m team Donna on this one. I agree in principle that the subjugating of other human beings is not complicated. I also think there is a wrinkle in that the leaders of the subjugated people and their regional supporters would gladly subjugate Jews and/or wipe them off the face of the planet if given the opportunity. Add in the fact that the idea of subjugation and genocide are not a thought exercise for Jews given what happened less than 100 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI’m no fan of Bibi or the war that he is waging. I also applaud Coates for asking hard questions. However, to claim this situation is not complicated seems naive to me.
Seems like Coates is falling victim to Maslow’s hammer.
I've smoked dope, dipped Cope, danced, French romanced, porked, uncorked, and all night New Yorked, freaked, fought, shot the moon and streaked the quad with a better bod. I've been to Maine, Spain, and Wayne, slugged champagne, tasted sugar cane, gotten high on a train, and boogied naked to November Rain. I’ve seen two Mardi Gras, unhooked a hundred bras, and saw the Boss, been around the block twice, looked danger in the face, and seen goats eat in the Marketplace, but I ain't never seen no shit like that.
ReplyDelete^BARS^
ReplyDeletea whitdog specialty
have you dipped Cope? i don't remember you dipping cope . . . i think it was ezra klein that said "you can be both the victim and the oppressor" and it seems like there's some of that on both sides and that makes morality very hard to sort out, you just want a practical solution-- i've also heard that there won't be peace in the middle east until the main players love their children more than they hate each other and when i was there, things were still very tribal-- this bullshit proverb: I against my brother. I and my brother against my cousin. I, my brother, and my cousin against the world
ReplyDeleteI did a couple of times. Barfed once. And it rhymed.
ReplyDeletelast time i dipped anything was freshman year of college. and i'm still puking.
ReplyDeleteHumble brag alert: my kid had a softball game tonight that ended around 9:15- my wife, kid and my parents went to a local spot for a very late dinner. I ran into a guy a bit older than me that I played ball against for many many years. We shot the shit for a bit while waiting for my parents to arrive and he was introduced to my daughter. A bit later as he was leaving he stopped at the door and said “does she (my kid) know how good you were?”- I replied “maybe but you can tell her”.
ReplyDeleteHe obliged. Nice when your kid hears that you’re not just some old man who used to be good at sports.
i couldn't love that more. i got to see my dad play softball a couple of times when he was well past his athletic prime, but that pudgy dude could pick it at third base, and i was well shocked and more than a little proud.
ReplyDeleteFrom someone other than you.
ReplyDeleteIt was cool for sure. My older kid knows because I used to scrimmage against her high school classmates in the summer on the back end of my prime and I took it to a few of her friends.
ReplyDeleteMy youngest never really got to see me play. Helps the old man ego.
Hey Gheorghies! JD McPherson brings the ruckus and if you like punk rock check out Kate Clover.
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