Ta-Nehisi Coates: Trump Is The First White President

[@FrederickDBell]

He is a leading public intellectual period. He just happens to be black.

[@simetry6477]

meh. If you think the Atlantic has anything other than boring crap to say, that's already been said and just appeals to the beltway. That being said he is the best they got. He should just start his own magazine.

[@liberallatino]

It's actually sad that he is. Would that someone like John McWhorter was better known. Coates is talking out of his behind. Irish Italians and Jews were always considered white in this country and I mean legally white as well. Just because they were discriminated against and not considered equals does not mean they were not considered white. Those groups were not segregated into separate schools and separate bathrooms in the Jim Crow south and they could marry white people however much it may have disconcerted their parents. Coates needs to accept that a metaphor is not in fact reality.

[@saeromybak535]

yesssssssssss also stephen was a bit rude (increasing his volume at him, cutting him off, and ending w/ i hope youre wrong...wtf)

[@kaivickers166]

Frederick D. Bell - Yes. I hate when people say, "She's a pretty black girl." Implying that she's only pretty in comparison with other black girls and wouldn't be pretty enough to drop the qualifier. I rarely hear a racial qualifier with any race but black which makes it that much more racist. If Coates is a genius then what difference does his race or ethnicity make? After all, it's his cognitive ability we are interested in...

[@Scoring57]

Frederick D. Bell Ehhh... He deals in black people's world and speaks on black issues so... I wouldn't call him a 'lead' but he is one of them.

[@omnimetabell]

The civil rights movement was very unpopular, and there were actual risks to those who protested in those times.

[@fluffyInChains]

Just because you don't see the risk doesn't mean it's not there: Generally, when people speak out like they do today, it's because the risk has gotten worse. And that isn't a comment about race: In general, things are not okay, and they are not getting better for almost anyone right now.

[@zaszarathustra2258]

You do know someone was killed for protesting in Charlottsville right ? And you can look at a bunch of other protest where there's been violence which could have ended worse than it did. - It seems to me that there's still a significant risk in protesting in your country.

[@andrewhenderson9793]

No fucking shit dude. Did you think this comment was enlightening?

[@bobapbob5812]

White conservative fought tooth and nail against civil rights. They still do but with new euphimisms to cover it up

[@LBIIIYouTube]

omnimetabell , there are risks NOW. Wtf?

[@totalbliss1]

I'm Indian and I went to school with him when he was in Howard U and used to look forward to reading his articles on the "Bison" school newspaper every week. A brilliant and thought provoking writer.

[@MrTampaMan]

@Daniel Embree No he's not

[@roxielafox9049]

Johnny Blaze beautiful mind

[@sharmishtaa]

and i hope u spoke about caste system and dalit question

[@denyze7461]

Johnny Blaze .. You were indeed privileged to know him as was he to know you.

[@gcromer903]

H.U. paper is The Hilltop.

[@BeautifulGood713]

I remember Ta-Nehisi from Howard U. He stands out in my memory tho we never spoke & never had a class together. There were lots of good-looking well dressed “fly” young men on campus, but he wasn’t one of them. He looked rumpled, didn’t dress all that great, but he had an air of purpose... things on his mind, things he had to do. Fast forward 2 decades, he’s a leading intellectual of our time. Just goes to show any one of us at any time could be standing in line or in the hall next to greatness.

[@Etta319]

Well said

[@gageiiiiitttt]

It's rare to see Stephen Colbert dumbfounded - Ta-Nehisi is a true polymath and brilliant thinker.

[@liberallatino]

He's actually not. He's just a good writer and distorter of language (which can be one and the same I suppose), but what's worse is that he's distorting historical fact in this interview. Irish Italians, Jews and white Latinos were always considered white in this country and I mean legally white as well. Just because they were discriminated against and not considered equals does not mean they were not considered white. Those groups were not segregated into separate schools and separate bathrooms in the Jim Crow south and they could marry white people however much it may have disconcerted their parents. Coates needs to accept that a metaphor is not in fact reality.

[@joelhenry5489]

I've never seen someone write something so wrong with such certainty. The Irish, Scots, Italians and Jews were not considered white. In fact, Irish bondsmen and African slaves were almost on the same level initially and had great solidarity. It was the very demographic concerns that Coates is speaking about that led to a change in their position. This has happened time and again, races graduate into greater inclusivity.

[@juan29zapata]

Irish immigrants were heavily discriminated against. Early last century you could see businesses putting up signs reading "Help needed, Irishmen need not apply". Not to mention the treatment of Jews and Latinos in this country. Have we forgotten that Mexicans have been accused of stealing jobs from Americans?

[@melzerr]

@@joelhenry5489 this is true. i remember reading something about the habitants of an area that is now a part of central park. Blacks and the Irish lived together there ..

[@hisbeautifultruth5931]

@@liberallatino -- Wrong! They were not considered white, initially. But they did a helluva job blending in, becoming one with the oppressors.

[@DB-ol3hw]

I have a feeling Colbert would have loved to continue that conversation for hours. When he gets a chance to speak about politics with a guest, he exudes enthusiasm and you can see the sparks flying, and the passion in his questioning. I could have listened to them chat for days. Great choice of guest Late Show.

[@AngelA-sj8kr]

D B12 I bet you could of because you probably don't have a job.

[@domenicming9551]

I bet you sit on your computer all day and comment pointless hateful/classist shit all day. And I bet your job sucks

[@highntight845]

D B12 actually, Colbert can't speak off script. He can only handle scripts and talking points..he's not politically intellectual whatsoever

[@rawgtp]

@@AngelA-sj8kr 😂💀

[@hamdal22]

I feel like Stephen was like "Damn...we're fucked..." in the end

[@liberallatino]

I think Stephen was thrown by Coates' distortion of history and fact. Coates is talking out of his behind, taking a metaphor and speaking as if the metaphor is reality. Irish, Italians and Jewish people were always considered white in this country. And I mean LEGALLY CONSIDERED WHITE. The only way Irish/Italians/Jewish people could be said to not be considered white is metaphorically. They were all discriminated against by WASPs and treated unequally but they were always considered white. Some examples: An Italian/Irish/Jewish person was allowed to attend white only schools in the Jim Crow south, they were allowed to enter white only establishments. When interracial marriage was outlawed throughout the country, although it may have been frowned upon, they were also legally allowed to marry WASPs, unlike black people.

[@edd8914]

Jose Ortiz Many of the those schools had bans on Jews, Irish, and Italians at times. There not considered fully white, but not considered fully black either.

[@moomoof8720]

we are

[@haute03]

Edward Basso Exactly. Even though they were not considered Black, they were othered and discriminated against in a similar fashion. When people talk about whiteness, oftentimes we're not just talking about literal skin color, we're also talking about the privileges and social acceptance associated with race, which can shift based on one's cultural heritage or ethnic background. Hence, Ta-Nehisi referencing whiteness as a malleable concept.

[@liberallatino]

Edward Basso: Back up your assertion. Please cite your examples of "many" PUBLIC schools that banned Jews, Irish, and Italians in this country. Do you have any facts to back this up or is this just something that you believe b/c it feels right to you? (Like a Fox News zealot who believes things just b/c they feel right to them?) I wonder how all the poor Irish and Italian immigrants managed to get any education at all since they certainly weren't attending the schools designated for blacks. Where exactly did they go? Is there some secret history of entire generations of the children of these immigrants not receiving a public school education that you're privy to? If so, you should publish it. As for not "considered fully white": according to whom? Certainly not federal and state governments. You and Coates (and many other stubborn zealots on the left) struggle with a basic truth: people who were considered white - by US law and most of American society - were discriminated TOO. I understand that you don't want this to be true since this reality conflicts with the many of the ideas being peddled by the extremists on the left (and I say this as a lifelong liberal) that feel right to you, but it is.

[@MarcF.Nielssen]

Those who are smart and not pathologically optimistic are not hopeful these days.

[@SamuelRiv]

For hope you have to look at longer-term trends. Every handful of decades, violence and discrimination consistently drop and standard of living goes up worldwide. And even though the US is in a culture war now and Europe is seeing the far right getting footholds again, these have largely been in response to two decades of open arms to intra-European and Asian migrants and of refugees. Now in Europe at least a generation of are entering the electorate who have grown living and playing with people of other races and religions. Do you really think European Nationalism will survive in 20 years?

[@MKRex]

SamuelRiv Exactly, these days are like death throws of the dying age, trying to cling to lost nostalgia. The optimism is the hope that their time has passed so far, that it is unrecoverable, and that whatever the catastrophic consequences of their attempts to cling to the past, it will not be destructive enough to hold back change to the future. We know what the possibilities of the future are, so we who want to progress, have something to fight for, and since that is the case, we shouldn’t really be too hopeless.

[@MarcF.Nielssen]

u wot m8 The left opposed the establishment of oligarchies in the USA, opposed the Iraq war, wants universal health care, a decent minimum wage, gun control, etc. It achieved nothing. But the NRA, Wall Street and the military-industrial complex got what they wanted. Stop spouting BS.

[@TransparentLabyrinth]

I go back and forth on hope. I don't believe our decline is likely to be fast, if we eventually crumble, but I do wonder if there's any way for us to get out of this hole we're in without first crumbling. We already knew the country was in a bad place with the 2016 election; more people were becoming aware of it. We needed a leader who could fight on a moral level for big changes. Instead, we got somebody with no morals who keeps starting fires we have to put out. We're burning time just trying to keep things on an even keel, while systemic issues, like climate change, economy, infrastructure, police brutality, money in politics, gun culture, etc., are getting left unaddressed. It feels like we're just wasting the time that we need to be spending on saving our country from tanking into the ground. That's where a large part of my pessimism comes from. Edited to add: I know race issues are a big concern right now, but I think they are somewhat of a red herring, in terms of fears about how bad they could get. The race issues are being made worse by systemic issues, like economy, making it easier for people to blame their neighbor for problems that have nothing to do with the actions of their neighbor. If structural issues are addressed, I believe that racial tension will die down somewhat; I'm not naive enough to think it will go away entirely, but I think the frenzy people are being whipped up into would not be possible if our country had a thriving economy, solid infrastructure, etc.

[@MKRex]

TransparentLabyrinth The race issues will bring more of us together, and further isolate and expose those who have exploited the issue, and inadvertently shown themselves to be morally dubious. We have checks and balances in place, to ensure that things will not get too drastically out of hand, the media is filled with brave people ready to put their necks out in these trying times and to ensure transparency, to make sure the records are kept, and to keep us all informed. It is clear no one politically would readily volunteer themselves to be a spearhead at this point in time, because of the weight of responsibility, especially with the amount of hate directed towards the previous president, even when he tried his best, and that which was directed at the most qualified candidate, partly because she was female. You will know a would-be-leader, when people start mentioning someone who seems reluctant. Such people gain support and goodwill, unlike megalomaniacs, who repulse people. We know now that these people are uneducated, they are unstable, unresponsive to reason, in a sense a mass of crazy people have taken over the asylum, and liberalism facilitated this, because of our sense of duty and fairness to those amongst us, who may be denied a voice, because they are not seen as capable of making informed decisions. What should happen is that they need to be distracted, and preoccupied, whilst we develop new ways to ensure that those who know at least enough to understand the bigger picture, economics, development and progression, make the hard choices... if that’s extreme, then we have to persist in persuading people, until they get it. You are clearly a decent person, thoughtful and concerned, I would like to think of myself as such, as long as there are people like ourselves out there, there’s a good chance that as long as we keep talking, we will get through to more. Liberals have undone centuries of backwards, archaic and regressive ideologies, in just a few decades, that’s worth some points, we just have to keep going forward. Until then, we should expect things to get far worse before they get better, but hope we survive, until something/ someone swoops in and takes the reins.

[@LILaw-db9yr]

It's hard for people to digest reality when it's not the reality that they want to hear...

[@mammymammy8727]

Until you find out that wakanda is what the alt right want ...

[@estebanb7166]

Thanks, Captain Obvious.

[@willie417]

Ha! Stephen Colbert didn't want to hear or think about it

[@denyze7461]

Ellei Law ... very wise

[@generationofswine-ge5rw]

Only if they're immature and cowardly, ie Trump supporters.

[@emilyhancock3456]

Ta-Nehisi is so brillant

[@AlanHope2013]

Too bad Stephen couldn"t pronounce his name correctly. It doesn't rhyme with Tallahassee.

[@emilyhancock3456]

+Alan Hope actually he did it correctly - Ta-Nehisi addressed the correct pronunciation on his twitter: twitter.com/tanehisicoates/status/535466662058012672?lang=en

[@sandybutt9898]

Hey Charles, FUCK OFF.

[@emilyhancock3456]

+Charles Charlemagne-Martel have you ever read any of his work?

[@SilentSnipest]

Ta-Nehisi is above that petty garbage you spew Charles. Maybe if you actually read from credible sources once in awhile, you would understand that. I hope Breitbart provides a lot of pictures for you.

[@yawoelevn]

This guy is a genius. He left Colbert speechless.

[@ClarityFB]

i am helpful, people think this guys is a genius. how the fuck is that possible? im just confused and bothered by all these dumb dramatic fucking losers saying this guy is brilliant, he literally said NOTHING and the shit he did talk about was just some more average fucking nonsense and its sickening people think this guy is smart. and the dude in this comment says "he left colbert speechless" as if that is a feat or something. no its not these guys are fucking retards and as far away from truth i have ever seen on something with this many viewers, this is just shocking

[@MCAndyT]

Had me speechless too! His essay in the Atlantic "My President Was Black" was so balanced with criticism, praise, and analysis. Love to learn from this man...

[@scaryfaced1]

I read his last book and it changed my life. Between The World and Me.

[@BoiseyMusic]

ClarityFB Well you seem to be the dramatic one and the last thing you obviously are, is a genius.

[@earthatom7]

ClarityFB I think people say he's a genius because he has a lot of education and by definition is considered a genius because of testing and what not... (Like seriously, people take tests and get there IQ measured...) If he didn't agree with you... Well that doesn't necessarily say anything about his IQ... UNLESS, you are also a genius and can provide some evidence to prove whatever point you're "trying" to make... Instead of simply talking shit and trolling... Just saying

[@YarrBr0]

yeesh, the ending of this was rough. Colbert should've let the man talk instead of pressing him to deliver some inspirational quote to soothe white people

[@roguesorcerer1145]

Why the need to call him a black intellectual. Surely he is just an Intellectual????

[@kingjamestres]

Because it in the minor scheme of things it matters.

[@liberallatino]

He's not an intellectual. Maybe you want to consider John McWhorter as an intellectual or black intellectual. Coates is merely a good writer and distorter of language to forward an argument, sometimes true and accurate and sometimes not, as in this case: Irish Italians, Jews and white Latinos were always considered white in this country and I mean legally white as well. Just because they were discriminated against and not considered equals does not mean they were not considered white. Those groups were not segregated into separate schools and separate bathrooms in the Jim Crow south and they could marry white people however much it may have disconcerted their parents. Coates needs to accept that a metaphor is not in fact reality.

[@power823]

Actually you contradicted yourself. so you have self doubt about what you are saying. If you say, yea they were discriminated against in this that and the other, then they are now considered equals. Don't forget country clubs etc. I am pretty sure he did Alot more research than you.

[@simetry6477]

John McWhorter is a fucking idiot who thinks all other people are idiots.

[@fredo3161]

Because he's completely focused on race?

[@rustyrebuilds1046]

I cannot understand how anyone would ever enjoy sitting in a room with this man for more than 2 minutes, he's a joke of a human being.

[@ericmalone3213]

Are you referring to Stephen Colbert?

[@rustyrebuilds1046]

@@ericmalone3213 No

[@ericmalone3213]

@@rustyrebuilds1046 How is Mr Coates "a joke of a human being?" Substantiate your superficial bloviating, & while you're at it, let's have a look at the books you've published, so as to have some direct experience of the depth of your scholarship & intellectual discipline. Thus far, a little bit of swagger, not much soul, SwaggerSouls.

[@rustyrebuilds1046]

@@ericmalone3213 I dont really care how many books this guys published, but when you sit there and watch 911 as its happening and watch the planes crashing into the towers and say you felt nothing then thats when you become a joke of a human being.

[@ericmalone3213]

@@rustyrebuilds1046 If you want to talk about a joke of a human being, I think you should start with Ted Nugent, Dude. The onus for 9-11 is not on Mr Coates, but rather on the Bush administration, who refused to investigate it for over 500 days. In the meantime, Christine Todd-Whitman, head of the EPA, told everyone it was perfectly safe to go back to work Downtown, everything was fine, but actually the air was massively toxic, & the cancer rates and respiratory illnesses spiked. Zero Government accountability there. First responders that fell ill were screwed out of health insurance. Look into it, it's all on the record. Just a couple of dozens of examples. Your priorities are rather skewed and prejudiced. How many innocent Iraqis and Afghans did the U.S. government kill, do you have a round number on that? And Mr Coates is a joke of a human being? Get some perspective, if you're capable.

[@darrynfrost3401]

I am starting a new Political party - the slogan will be "Make America Smart Again". I am anticipating low participation numbers.

[@sparksoffyou]

This man is amazing. Going to buy his book.

[@liberallatino]

He's actually not. Irish Italians and Jews were always considered white in this country and I mean legally white as well. Just because they were discriminated against and not considered equals does not mean they were not considered white. Those groups were not segregated into separate schools and separate bathrooms in the Jim Crow south and they could marry white people however much it may have disconcerted their parents. Coates needs to accept that a metaphor is not in fact reality.

[@angellius4606]

actually no Jews, Italians and the Irish were not considered white upon arrival. As time passed they eventually were considered white they were even thought of as lower biological beings who were a threat to America by bringing in all there cultures and religion.

[@sparksoffyou]

Bennett McCoy You know what sugar, I’ll call anyone a bigot who calls anyone’s culture inferior.

[@Cameron-bk9bw]

I agree whole heartedly. If you haven’t, please read his piece on ‘The Case for Reparations’. Brilliantly written. Never read anything so factual and moving.

[@MegaCavalier23]

i think you missed the entirety of what "whiteness" to him is

[@matthewmcneany]

That's how interviews with Chomsky used to end. He stopped getting asked onto talk shows too.

[@redlion145]

Mostly because shows like this view a guest's role as soothing the nation. Either you entertain them, or you reassure them with reason. A guest saying that everything is not alright, that it's going to get worse - that doesn't really fit with the general idea of late night 'entertainment'.

[@matthewmcneany]

I mean its odd because a whole host of hosts have made careers out of demonising trump (more or less fairly in my opinion) but I feel like there's an implicit assumption in this that he represents an aberration rather than an indication of the way things may be from now on. What goes unspoken, perhaps even unimagined in the mind of many American citizens is the threat that looms over America of a Trump character who does not have his personal flaws; who manages to galvanise the white resentment that has fuelled Trumps rise to power, but one who is not limited by his bureaucratic incompetence, his petty vindictiveness, his laziness, the backbiting of his political inner circle and his attention span and his borderline illiteracy. This white nationalist with a work ethic (if you will) very well could pose an existential threat to American democracy to say nothing of the freedoms and welfare of millions of its citizens.

[@anti-depressant]

Well said, and a troubling prospect indeed.

[@rule-of-three1483]

Chomsky still grants appearances to Democracy Now!, but frankly if you are watching that channel, you're already drinking the Kool-Aid. The message needs to reach a wider audience than these niche markets. Cornel West is likely the last of the truly radical (in a good way) public intellectuals that regularly gets the call-up, and since he loudly backed Bernie and called out Maher, it's likely his calendar will free up as a result. People love confirmation bias, and don't much care for being called out.

[@jameshumphrey9939]

then people want to hear lies

[@apksand9307]

Damn... a smart american who just cuts through the BS. Never thought I'd see it in the mainstream media. Thought bernie was the last.

[@GatorGirl04]

Ta-Nehisi, thank you for telling the truth. The last 2 mins of this video is some of the realest stuff said on TV in a minute.

[@user-nc9pc3gr4c]

Racist asshole

[@GatorGirl04]

@@user-nc9pc3gr4c stop making it about you sir.

[@user-nc9pc3gr4c]

@@GatorGirl04 I think I used the word He. Not Me.

[@user-nc9pc3gr4c]

@@GatorGirl04 Let's blame all of black problems on white people = racist (Hitler level racist)

[@czetuh]

@@user-nc9pc3gr4c if you see some news about another shootout in the hood on TV, remember, it’s your fault.

[@alladha3441]

That last point on the malleability of enfranchisement was an absolutely mind-blowing addition to the flow of the interview. I wish they could have gone longer!

[@SewingwithPatrick]

YES - he literally left Stephen speechless... 😲😲😲

[@mariohall8357]

Look at what’s happening in 2020.

[@hughmungus7425]

@@SewingwithPatrick He left every adult watching speechless too...just not for the right reasons.

[@aja3longhorn375]

Eh, I don't really buy into it. This current Georgia election thing will likely fail or be ratified in the coming years. By guess who, the changing demographics. Identity is always the precursor to policy, really the only thing that need to change is the demographic makeup imo.

[@mhoney7899]

@@aja3longhorn375 what do you mean by identity as to demographic makeup?

[@saberrattler1413]

Should have had him on longer. The guy shines a light on all that is uncomfortable & wrong with what is going on. Literally speaks truth to power provides a very nuanced dialogue & when it becomes uncomfortable is rushed off. I'd love to have a conversation with this enlightened individual. Respect!

[@erikhopkins9488]

I love the discourse between the two. An intelligent discussion, not the nonsense that's spewed out on a consistent basis.

[@kristinpfanku3927]

I'd love to see Colbert in a position where he really uses his mind. Of course, his comedy is great, but I'd like to hear his mind working more often.

[@birdy1numnum]

Ruh roh! Highly intelligent black man speaking the truth...that never goes over well. This guy. So smart, so precise and intellectually accessible - what a great guy. Ta-Nehshi, I tip my hat to you good sir. I can hear him talk (and have) for hours.

[@joelhenry5489]

Lol! Is Sowell your black mascot? Tells you what you want to hear? Helps you with your anxiety about your racist society?

[@poipoipoi7334]

Joel Henry - the fact that you think Thomas Sowell is just telling racists what they want to hear shows that you know nothing about him. Sowell talks statistics and historical facts from an unbiased perspective, which naturally made him more right leaning, as it did with me (and no, right leaning doesn't equal racist). If anything, people like Coates tell people what they want to hear

[@mammymammy8727]

Professor Benjamin Carson

[@ellengreenlaw8839]

Thank you Ta-Nehisi Coates! I remember how my father talked about Martin Luther King- that he was a communist. You are so accurate that the civil rights struggle was such hard work. and we have to keep it up folk or we will lose ground.

[@MrUndersolo]

Reading Baldwin and Coates at the same time is very revealing...and sometimes depressing...

[@estebanb7166]

How so?

[@MrUndersolo]

Esteban B The main thing you notice is how things have not changed. “History does not always repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme.” - Mark Twain

[@estebanb7166]

@@MrUndersolo Deep.

[@sacanoce]

Yeah Baldwin was inclusive, this stupid dude Coates is just full of hate and spite.

[@dorothyharris6596]

@@sacanoce why is he full of hate? Are you saying that he's lying?

[@smolivia]

"if the majority of Americans approved there would be no need for a protest."

[@alanthompson4912]

A majority is great but like a Union you don't really want a majority, you want it to be a unforced unanimous decision, then it can go forward instead of being stuck and always being debated to death.💙😁

[@richardgaynor6113]

Somebody thinks image ority of Americans don't disapprove of the way Mr. George died? I'm guessing, Russian troll.

[@azurevelos7129]

bullshit. it only takes a tiny, stupid minority to protest.

[@michaelgray1803]

The majority wants another stimulus now and

[@michaelgray1803]

We thought we were eight years in power we thought we had a black president

[@PrimeraEspadaStark]

Ta-Nehisi, on a lighter note, also writes for Marvel Comics. Check out Black Panther, the shit is lit !

[@SuviTuuliAllan]

Cool beans! If comics weren't so expensive...

[@kellercorrield7733]

Yea I got to meet him when he came to a comic book store in DC

[@mariemachelle]

Suvi-Tuuli Allan I checked the first volume out from the library until I can afford to buy it :)

[@citronm1405]

I've followed TNC for a decade. I've supported his career both critically and by whatever modest financial benefit he received from my personal subscriptions to "The Atlantic" just for his essays. But As a long time fan of the Black Panther I can definitively say, his run is a horrible. His continuity is ..confused to put it mildly. Wakanda was sending a rocket to the stars with T'Challa telling Wakanda's most accomplished students that it was up to Wakanda and them to lead the world with hope and optimism before Coates started his run but you saw none of hat in his stories. But perhaps one is not concerned with such nerdish ideas. More damning, his T'Challa, the genius unbeatable King of Wakanda is weak and confused. Wakanda, the unconquered most advanced society both technologically and spiritually on the planet, now has rape tree houses and moral corruption and societal weakness that make no sense. Except apparently in Coates' mind. Unfortunately, TNC writing Black Panther is like someone who thinks superheroes are stupid writing Superman. You know lets have Superman take the bus, wear a bullet proof vest and lift 300lb max because flying, invulnerability and super strength is stupid. Ta-Nehisi said in an interview that his run would not be a black male power fantasy and he doesn't understand afro-futurism and it shows. For a more detailed analysis of his series check out the Black Panther comic thread on Comic book Resources website. Still like TNC but BP is not his thing. I think he wanted to write X-Men originally but Marvel turned him down. LOL!

[@princeaizen]

too bad they canceled it

[@Gambit08]

It's like watching the methodical side of me be interviewed by my optimistic side.

[@samwiseshanti]

Gambit08 lol this is a perfect description.

[@jpkjnn6733]

I loved this comment. Well said

[@Normie_Normalson]

or just move to Zimbabwe where the white-free utopia is well under way.

[@WCGreeny]

Coates is just not an optimist. He doesn't want to pretend to be either. Which is fine. It makes his articles the opposite of Zoloft, but thats fine. I think hope is a necessary thing though, if you want to keep fighting on.

[@drscouting6804]

@@rayyf69 , this is to willfully misrepresent the discussion and the hope of non whites for fair play from their institutions if justice. Are not incensed when you see a wealthy man escape justice because if his wealth? Do you not understand the black man's yearning fir justice or are you so infected by the virus of white supremacy that you are incapable of empathy? Funny thing, in all my years I have yet to meet happy contented racist. Go figure.

[@clarissainjapan]

That was... weird and thruthful. Feel like I should go cry now

[@Paragon231]

Brutal, but true, very true.

[@SARGENTO007A]

This interview could have been longer. Please invite him again as a guest.

[@domenicming9551]

Watch an interview from a more appropriate source; he has some good ones out there that a long and notable

[@SARGENTO007A]

Domenic Ming thanks I will.

[@domenicming9551]

:)

[@b3at2]

Adri Rizo hes wrong about a few things... but he is brilliant. Mr west is better.

[@Nantsy]

Listen to him on Marc Maron's podcast WTF, it's nearly an hour and deeply thoughtful.

[@dapeach06]

He definitely deserved a longer interview

[@pops1507]

Two wise back academics calmly dismantle Coates and his scam: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5vImoOBnZyde6M

[@randymonster4105]

He's the writer of Black Panther comic for Marvel.

[@estebanb7166]

Ok...

[@lebredamcelroy832]

Thanks so much ❤️ I DIDN'T know that..PEACE OUT..💯👈🏽💖

[@jankam2418]

No he’s not .

[@Lightning-lv4bx]

His version of Captain America was a miserable flop because he depicted Captain America not wanting to be associated with America anymore. Turns out the majority of Americans don’t want to buy his anti-American propaganda.

[@stevevassallo4323]

One of your (USA) brightest minds and finest communicators. Sad that he has chosen to live in France where he feels safer and freer to express his opinions. Says a lot I think.

[@alana1959]

Steve Vassallo modern day version of James Baldwin; but he is himself

[@angieg2994]

ooooh that wrap up was fantastic. These are the convo's I live for. WHERE ARE MY PEOPLEEEEE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?

[@dwhite8997]

Stephen: "Do you have any hope for the people out there?" Te Nehisi: "Uh... No"

[@whatsinaname7076]

Thanks very much for having him on! I love the fact that you bring in authors, Broadway stars, and dancers. The show is excellent- as is the writing.

[@Gambit2483]

Damn...that audience woke up real quick with that last comment

[@buddhablessedharsh]

This is the same guy who compared 9/11 responders to some racist cops. Good thing this guy is getting so much exposure...

[@mhoney7899]

what does this mean

[@n.chambers2828]

I respect Colin Kaepernick more and more everyday now that i understand his view. He does make sense and my butt was hurt at first because i am a veteran myself and now get what he's saying about police mistreating people of color. I myself have been pulled over and get treated differently and get nasty treatment because I am not white. But my white female friends seem to get away with whatever even tho she was speeding and i on the other hand just had a broken tail light, did everything that was told and respectfully answered all his questions. She gets a verbal warning for speeding 10+ mph, a smile and respect while i end up with a ticket with a warning to fix it, stern voice and nasty looks to get my shit straight.

[@paigetomkinson1137]

N Chambers: I am sorry you have to deal with that.

[@n.chambers2828]

Blue Skies Thank you, it happens and sadly it happens more than it should.

[@paigetomkinson1137]

You are quite welcome. And it is sad and it shouldn't happen like that at all.

[@MH-ro3ww]

The protests aren’t about the flag,army,military etc ,moron.How can shooting innocent coloured people be about the army?

[@w12ath040211]

Not exactly a flawless experiment. Do you think there's another reason a cop would treat a white woman differently than a black man, other than race?

[@TooMuchMiddle]

Well, that was probably the best interview Stephen has done so far. It may not have been hilarious, but Ta-Nehisi really hits the nail on the head.

[@jamaicangirl2000]

I'm glad Coates held his ground in answering Colbert's last question.

[@UltimaRedFireEskimo]

Can't sleep with all the events of the week going thru my head.... nice to watch Stephen

[@Restfulrain]

Don't. Just switch off. There's very little you can do. Be aware of the global events but also be aware of your ability to affect them. Be the best you can be and that is all anyone can ask of you.

[@da1stamericus]

Daniel try some chamomile tea with basil leaves and some cinnamon sticks, boiled into a tea for about five minutes.

[@Suzanne4415]

Good advice from Restfulrain here, but truth is if we're staying human we'll be emotionally affected. Hugs to y'all.

[@shalicgraw5280]

Just remember, we are the majority. Some days don't read the news.... it is hard to away sometimes.

[@jaydavids6485]

Daniel - yeah, between Vegas and this author, I feel so fuckin giddy and happy

[@DaUziel]

This is a guy who gets it, who sees the system as it's actually working. I'm gonna see about getting more of his work.

[@MRWHITTYSSTUDIO]

He moved his whole family to Europe. Nuff said in how he feels about the future of this country.

[@sewgatormomm]

A very important interview. While it's nice to have that kumbaya feeling at the end, Coates was more realistic. There's work to be done. Nothing will change, if we don't get off our asses and make it happen.

[@henriettaraphael4368]

this is a serious interview! reflects the true nature of the world

[@liberallatino]

Some parts of it but not the last few things he says. Irish Italians and Jews were always considered white in this country and I mean legally white as well. Just because they were discriminated against and not considered equals does not mean they were not considered white. Those groups were not segregated into separate schools and separate bathrooms in the Jim Crow south and they could marry white people however much it may have disconcerted their parents. Coates needs to accept that a metaphor is not in fact reality.

[@b3at2]

Henrietta Raphael of racists whites period. Racism is a serious problem in this world.

[@DawnOfTheDead991]

You must be joking

[@DawnOfTheDead991]

and the biggest racists are blacks like this fake

[@gorgeousg8704]

I love this guy, he reminds me of the beloved James Baldwin.

[@nospam3327]

Is he gay?

[@natdeejones7464]

@@nospam3327 I'm not sure she was talking about his sexual orientation

[@nospam3327]

@@natdeejones7464 Sure, I would just point out that Baldwin was and that there's a long history of ignoring his sexual orientation, fwiw.

[@person-xd3wb]

Whether he's gay or straight he's a great writer. Not Baldwinian quite yet. But excellent. Baldwin was a firebrand. Uber passionate. Gay is not my flavor, but admired that impish little man. Met him in 1978 after Godfrey Cambridge's funeral. Was sharp but older and in poor health. His young lover looked like a model. I did not know Baldwin was gay so I was shocked by his daintiness. A far cry from his books and speeches. No internet or KZbin then. Met Roscoe Lee Browne, and Maya Angelou at the same time. Perhaps Coates will be a Baldwin of this era.

[@person-xd3wb]

@@nospam3327 Who ignored it?

[@ronkirk5099]

It is the very best of our Democracy to stand up (or in Colin's case, take a knee) for your beliefs and speak truth to power. There are no venues where these acts of civil disobedience should be prohibited. It is our right as a free people to protest anywhere and anyway it is effective. Long live the 60's!

[@domirican81]

Black Panther #17 $3.99 25,609 copies sold in August... just saying this would normally be cancelled at any point in the past.

[@aliciaburbank9962]

He didn't provide a bullshit answer. I didn't think it was possible but I respect him even more.

[@smolivia]

he's being realistic. pretending things will just work themselves out is part of the problem with the world today.

[@denyze7461]

We were eight years in power. And then 60 million deplorables voted to overthrow intelligence, integrity, leadership, and dignity

[@rameshhansaravendra]

. You mean 60 million Americans didn't want a murderer like Hillary?

[@humanearthling1484]

@@rameshhansaravendra so they voted a rapist instead who colluded with Putin, committed treason, knew about the price Putin put on the heads of American Soldiers, denied the Corona virus and has done nothing for the American public but make his friends rich and the 1% richer?

[@bassandtrebleclef]

Who is 'we'? I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt when you say we that you mean black Americans. The alternative is that you're segregating black people from the rest of the American population, which is the opposite of what MLK fought so hard to accomplish. Are you aware of other intellectual voices in this subject like John McWhorter?

[@johnson2joy]

Yes and we will be paying for this for years...... I am beyond shocked

[@joelhenry5489]

Too much truth, too eloquently delivered for network TV.

[@Go.el_Hadam]

T. Coates is so damn smart 🧠

[@kristinpfanku3927]

And fearless. He doesn't care what anyone else thinks of his work.

[@mr.womblordofunmercifultor4110]

I usually ignore the book plugs on this show. Never bought a single one. Coates is literally a genius, and I'll be purchasing his book momentarily. He's got a way of finding a bead, the linear timeline of events that lead us here. Very clear and original. Bravo.

[@liberallatino]

Just for your edification: Irish Italians, Jews and white Latinos were always considered white in this country and I mean legally white as well. Just because they were discriminated against and not considered equals does not mean they were not considered white. Those groups were not segregated into separate schools and separate bathrooms in the Jim Crow south and they could marry white people however much it may have disconcerted their parents. Coates needs to accept that a metaphor is not in fact reality.

[@Hiphop101ize]

@@liberallatino this is false

[@AsFewFalseThingsAsPossible]

Terminology is often plastic. For example, an "African American", would not normally include someone now living in the USA whose family was from Egypt. Or from South Africa, where the ancestry might be from The Netherlands. The future where the melanin quota one has inherited loses significance in society is what MLK was looking towards.

[@richasa69]

AsFewFalseThingsAsPossible When South African Charlize Theron became an American citizen she noted that she was now an African American too!

[@liberallatino]

Sure, terminology can be plastic as Coates likes to prove. However, that being the case, it's important to not rewrite history: Irish Italians, Jews and white Latinos were always considered white in this country and I mean legally white as well. Just because they were discriminated against and not considered equals does not mean they were not considered white. Those groups were not segregated into separate schools and separate bathrooms in the Jim Crow south and they could marry white people however much it may have disconcerted their parents. Coates needs to accept that a metaphor is not in fact reality.

[@desireeholloway3353]

"BETWEEN THE WORL AND ME" gave me hope!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ My white mother who adopted my three mixed race brothers and I, each gave us a copy for Christmas two yrs ago and I know what book we're all getting this December! Thank you !

[@cetti4405]

He's right: Freaked me out, when I saw overtly, bigoted, storefront signs from the early 1900s stating, "Irish need not apply". Was like, "Damn, how much whiter can you get than Irish?:)"

[@xmox2950]

Ta-Nehisi Coates always continue to speak truth to power.

[@fahadal-maraghi2660]

woop woop, finally someone with no bs filter.

[@PaperRaines]

When you wipe the smile off of a comic's face you know you're speaking truth to power

[@StEmS509]

Amen! Laying that truth out there!! 🤔

[@barrecc5716]

you know someone is intelligent when you dont understand what they are saying but you agree with them.

[@ChinoEyes1]

This is one time Steven could not persuade or steer the guest.

[@RogueLesser]

Also, Mr. Coates writes a damn good Black Panther book....

[@Ceeejayen]

So you're implying that your opinion is somehow more right than his? Nah.

[@albertogarcia305]

No way in hell. He does boring ass world building that leads absolutely nowhere. And the MAIN character is boring as shit.

[@anthonybaron4970]

His blaxk panther book is trash. About to ruin captain america. Already cancelled it.

[@1jesus2music3duke]

A healing balm right here. Two very smart men talking about important issues in a respectful, composed manner.

[@andersk]

😂

[@katec8796]

I love Ta-Nehisi Coates - I could listen to him all day :)

[@erikperez8124]

it’s sad how this is even more relevant now

[@Utada379]

Yeah, Ta-Nehisi is 100% correct. This is the nature of America. It's never going to be better. This is why Black people need to stop trying to appeal to white humanity, because there is not when it comes to Black. We just need to be insular cause 'whites" might be a minority, but people forget that a large portion of Hispanics come from Spain and are white. Hell a lot of "brown" Hispanics are now identifying as white. White supremacy will be just fine and America will continue to thrive off of it.

[@joelhenry5489]

Amen. That's actually the one piece of the puzzle Coates hasn't gotten yet. The whole integrationist, assimilationist project was a pipe dream.

[@aristidesiliopoulos7041]

Good discussion. Now i want to read his books.

[@liberallatino]

FYI: Irish Italians, Jews and white Latinos were always considered white in this country and I mean legally white as well. Just because they were discriminated against and not considered equals does not mean they were not considered white. Those groups were not segregated into separate schools and separate bathrooms in the Jim Crow south and they could marry white people however much it may have disconcerted their parents. Coates needs to accept that a metaphor is not in fact reality.

[@klarastern5597]

I will read his book.

[@TheLolperson1234]

if you plan on reading any of his work, read 'between the world and me'. it's eye opening,

[@ShubhamBhushanCC]

The last few seconds are when Stephen realizes the shit we're in. You can see the air the jokes and the hope punched out of him. That's one look into the abyss. That's one look at the truth.

[@supercoolsunday]

Ta-Nehisi Coates would get along well witg David Duke. Their politics are pretty much the same

[@BMPhuc]

He should be ashamed of his completely wrong portrait of Peterson in his comic. Quite an evil thing to do if you ask me.

[@georgeb.wolffsohn30]

I think one thing that trump's base is worried about is that there are probably more black like Mr. Coates than they are comfortable with.

[@brooksbrandenburg3925]

His point about the historically changing definition of "whiteness" is the best argument against identifying people based on race. Why can't everyone just put it behind us and realize that the school of thought someone identifies with is vastly more important than an arbitrary trait like race?

[@tessie7e]

Yup, French Canadians in North Dakota were the "dark" ones compared to all the Scandinavian immigrants living there. But no matter what, people always seem to need to find some "other" to look down on in order to feel better about themselves. If not color, it will indeed be something else unless we truly get enlightened.

[@JosephGibson]

load of rubbish.

[@brandonjuno]

Race is bullshit but not arbitrary. Who do you think made these rules? Why do you think the definition keeps changing? Whiteness was instrumental in the founding of this country, used to very specific ends. Asking why race just can't be put behind us is just crazy naive. There are a million reasons why white people wouldn't give up their whiteness.

[@brooksbrandenburg3925]

Thank you for your reply, but please elaborate. What is "whiteness" to you and why do you think white people won't "give up their whiteness"? How would one go about doing so?

[@brooksbrandenburg3925]

Joseph Gibson Really got me there.

[@knickell50]

You NEVER see that kind of transparency with politician "charity" organizations. Politicians use charities for their personal slush funds.

[@rekakingapapp6039]

everthing he sayes is just soooo great and relatable

[@coltonembury71]

Is it though? He compared NFL players kneeling during the national anthem to the civil rights movement (which I find at the very least to be a bit of a stretch). And he goes on to say that "Whiteness" isn't static, and I am completely lost. Race's ARE static by definition are they not? This is why technically if you're parents aren't the same race you are mixed raced (although individuals may identify more with one parent's cultural heritage than the other)

[@uteruskids2000]

+Colton Embury Did you listen to what he said? "There was a time when Irish people were not considered white..." Race is a social construct; it's categorization is subject to change. The KKK used to really against Catholics as well. Irish were considered not edit and inferior, Jews were not considered white and inferior, etc. A quick Google search will give you plenty of information.

[@uteruskids2000]

+uteruskids2000 rally(not really)

[@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494]

thankyou +uteruskids2000. Never thought I'd see that combination of words leaving my keyboard...

[@Suzanne4415]

+Colton Embury think about what you mean by "by definition"... "race" when it comes to humans is a concept that comes from 19th century pseudoscience, when scientists had realized evolution was a thing but before they understood genetics or the processes of evolution generally... and it was deeply political, before the scientific process was adopted. (For example, scientists looked for the origin of humanity everywhere but Africa, not because that was logical or empirical data led them elsewhere, but because they had an agenda with their work that included establishing whites as superior "by nature", now that they could no longer just declare that God but whites in charge.) Scientists who study genetics today believe that we've all descended from a small group of people who left East Africa about 160K years ago. That any dividing of humans into "races" is arbitrary and non-scientific, that races are social/cultural categories, with loose correlation to geographically marked genetic history. So like, it's possible to look at your genes and see that a large portion of your ancestors spent a certain amount of time in North America and a smaller number in East Africa, and just a few of them spent many generations in Asia and Europe. What "race" will you be? Well, you're unlikely to have certain features, like say monolids, that would get you put in the "Asian" category in America. But there's no way to say for sure based on only on your actual ancestry which racial category you will end up getting placed in. That depends on which country you're in and at which point in history, it depends on both your features (like melanin levels) and the cultural political context attached to those features atm, and your family and neighborhood. In short, if you're in the US you might be seen as (and identify as) white, black, hispanic, native, Jewish, or certain combinations. I'll give another example... In Sweden, it wasn't until the 1800's we started viewing ourselves as a fabulous blonde blue-eyed "race", and started making shit about our ancestors and history (we in fact no very very little about the culture, religion etc of the Vikings, most of what we "know" was made up by poets and authors during this period). This "Germanic people" identity was created (one the Germans eventually took to the worst possible place). We opened the world's first "institute for racial hygiene" (eugenics), with scientists going around measuring skulls and noses - again, racist pseudoscience. Only thing is, we've never actually all been blonde and blue-eyed here. So, we started *very literally* whitewashing our history to fit the current identity. If you google Gustav Vasa, a king that died in 1560, you'll see mostly blonde paintings where he has blue eyes. Funny thing is until mid-1800's, in most paintings he had darker hair and brown eyes. When they were "restored" in the 1800's, the artists lightened his hair and changed his eye color. And to this day, people have that image of us as blonde, we tend to see ourselves that way and a lot of people in fact bleach their hair here - but I've always known more brunettes here than blondes.

[@terseandtiny1746]

I thoroughly enjoyed these two gentlemen.

[@beealva2831]

Love when Colbert asks the uncomfortable questions! How interviews should be.

[@BrnBear]

5:47 I wish the FCC would have let this use if the word 'shit' go unbleeped... It was two smart people using modern language in a manner to show the point, and not just to say the, "cuss" world itself. Which is what cursing provides us, with deeper understanding.

[@Gwolfsoun]

The definition of whiteness has continued to evolve since the 1700s to include those with lighter skin, money or power. If you don't have one of those you're out of luck. If you don't believe it just ask older generations of Italians, Jews or Irish descendants about how they were treated back in the day. Ask how the Muslims feel they're treated after a handful committed a terrorist act on American soil and now the rest of them have to pay the price.

[@bikerusl]

I wouldn't say "evolved" That implies a natural order or biological effectiveness It's more like the building maintenance on a terrible prison. We need to stop paying for that to keep happening. We need to spend our time and money doing better things.

[@liberallatino]

No, you're 100% wrong. I mean unless you want to distort historical fact as Coates is doing in the last part of this interview: Irish Italians, Jews and white Latinos were always considered white in this country and I mean legally white as well. Just because they were discriminated against and not considered equals does not mean they were not considered white. Those groups were not segregated into separate schools and separate bathrooms in the Jim Crow south and they could marry white people however much it may have disconcerted their parents. Coates needs to accept that a metaphor is not in fact reality.

[@MooMooManist]

He uses the term "whiteness" to alude to an unconscious consipracy by white people against black people. What about the term "black"? There was no such term that black people identified with. Black people's identification with that term is a recent phenomenon too and it expanded to include populations that used to war with each other (and still do). If I were to make the same argument about blackness and alude to a conspiracy theory against whites, I'd (rightly) get called a racist. He's just a confused and resentful individual who wants to destroy the very fabric that keeps the American experiment going. This is not Civil Rights 2.0. This is a moral panic with no foundation.

[@MooMooManist]

Mr Coates isn't a terrible individual; he's smart and well-spoken, and also resentful, like I wrote earlier. I also think he's wrong about his assessment of America. And he's not "speaking about the facts", he's simply expressing his views. Here's an excellent reply to one of his articles by another Black intellectual, who also speaks eloquently about "facts": www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/open-letter-ta-nehisi-coates/

[@LambieSamba]

My great grandmother was a bond servant held as a slave, my best friend growing up was Italian and her great grandmother was a slave in South America, what we Irish and Italians had over black slaves was: we were white and could escape and blend in! NEVER underestimate white privelege, it has unfairly permeated life for hundreds of years! This Mr. Coates is Brilliant! The racist responders here probably have an IQ between 70 and 90!

[@bigverybadtom]

I didn't know George Washington was Black. He must have worn very good makeup.

[@davidmalik9821]

Love his honesty. Love it!

[@pacojoediaz2277]

Ending quote was powerful! "I hope you wrong!" I hope I'm wrong too... Me: ya both right! Lol

[@SupaDupaSidDKid]

The ending of this interview was too good. Almost a movie moment.

[@ibeezisi3847]

He was spot on! Demographics can change all they like, it is who is allowed to vote that is key.

[@christineperkovich9844]

@@ibeezisi3847 And look at all the crap that is going on now regarding the restrictions on voting rights. Ta-Nehisi was right on the money during that last minute.

[@richardcrook2112]

@@ibeezisi3847 Who is not allowed to vote other than illegals people in prison etc?

[@katushawatkins1922]

Yes!!!! Yes, yes, yes!!!! Ta-Nehisi Coates is quite the man.

[@JaySweetZ]

This needs to spread like wildfire. How's that truth feeling?

[@colonelklink53]

I will agree with Coates in that 2.5 years into place holder Biden's far left administration, our country is more divided.

[@phil5569]

When will people realize that Ta-Nehisi Coates is really not that smart, and has nothing intellectually significant to contribute. Calling him "A leading black public intellectual" or "genius" is literally the definition of the soft bigotry of low expectations. He's nothing more than a regular race activist and not a particularly well thought out one at that. Sorry if people don't want to hear that.

[@fullsendshorts8598]

did you come to this video because of ben shapiro lol

[@phil5569]

@@fullsendshorts8598 No, but I came to your house because of your mom lol (That's how writing stupid comments works, fyi.)

[@fullsendshorts8598]

@@phil5569 you know my mom’s dead Philip. how could you say that?

[@fullsendshorts8598]

@The final Verdict okay philip the joke is old now, you took way too long

[@fullsendshorts8598]

@The final Verdict hey taylor nice to meet you lil bro

[@LeahandLevi]

wow that was fricking incredible to watch holy smokes... that guy might actually be a genius.

[@The_Bashar]

Ok...dude is brilliant and I kinda get why he finds it difficult to propagate from the reality we live in!!

[@grail68]

Coates is not like how I imagined from his writing. He seems more shy and quiet than a bombastic intellectual. It's kind of cool to be surprised.

[@Dylan-ge6dn]

One of the most intelligent men I've ever heard speak. This is a reaction to the first black president, that's obvious but overlooked. Also.. Very true about the meaning of "whiteness" constantly changing.. I've noticed the trend also, Italians and Irish, and i know many Hispanics identify Latinos as a type of white also, if they embrace that as a group the demographics would keep the "white" majority for the foreseeable future.

[@richasa69]

Charles Charlemagne-Martel wow your IQ must match your language. I surmise this from your impotent response.

[@colinchampollion4420]

We Hispanics are generally White ~Mediterranean-White whence not Anglo-Saxon-White as the majority of Americans Whites are

[@asaphazais1648]

Here in 2024 and Ta Nehisi Coates is still not wrong!

[@petergriffin2912]

First five seconds "He's a genius." Last five seconds " I hope you're wrong". He ain't wrong.

[@gilmoremccoy6930]

Yeah, what he said 👍🏾.

[@lordnichard]

"Colber(t) Repor(t)." He's really committing to the French pronunciation.

[@paigetomkinson1137]

That is how he always pronounced the name of that show.

[@kmlckd]

History can teach us so much yet so many people refuse to learn those lessons. Large pockets of America consistently stand on the wrong side of history and that needs to change.