Ta-Nehisi Coates on Entrenched Racist Myths

[@dougaduncan]

I wish we could all have these kinds of conversations everyday. More venues and opportunities to talk about these issues much more regularly, without getting defensive and with the goal of some kind of acknowledgment of the realities of difference in this country and a move toward reconciliation.

[@Kristmaz808]

I hate when people ask long as questions using advanced language only to talk in a circle... girl ask a question in its simplest form...

[@topshelf8304]

I was saying the same thing!

[@mizberry2]

I was thinking the same thing!..her question(s) were all over the place...

[@adjei85]

@@mizberry2 not really she actually had to put it in context, for one to truly understand the question

[@s1r155]

Yeah it was a mini speech more than a question.

[@Cng215]

That happens because some at the moment, genuinely can't put it in its simplest form. You need to have more patience and be more considerate...

[@dzobie]

I love how she worded that. I've been trying to figure out how to say that for a long time. It's so hard to have discussions about reparations without some people assuming it's about blame and making somebody pay. Reparations is not "rePAY" its "rePAIR". That's the etymology of the word. Just like some people think "minority" means being lesser of person when it means less population-wise.

Then the repairing comes at the cultural level. Wtf is $$$ going to do? We've been using that approach for how long now? Coates is an intellectual fraud....which is why white liberals adore his schtick. But when you peel back the BS, all that's there is just that: BS

[@Jianju69]

The USA has put over $25T (twenty-five trillion) dollars in the hands of the poor and downtrodden over the years. We haven't fixed a damn thing. In fact, we've only made problems worse.

[@snuglife4595]

Native Americans stole land from one another and murdered one another for centuries so which tribes do I owe reparations? Both my mother and fathers parents moved to America in the early 1940’s so my family didn’t participate in slavery so why exactly do I reparations to black Americans? Especially considering there’s millions and millions of black Americans who came from people who migrated here after the end of slavery. Guess all those people must be really dumb to want to move to this racist country huh🤔🤔🤔 On my mothers side my great (multiple greats) grandpa escaped from Northern Africa and made it back to Italy after being enslaved by people from modern day Algeria so where are my reparations for my relatives that were enslaved by black Muslims? Oh yeah, none of that counts since my skin is white right??? I better check my privilege huh? The privilege from growing up in a travel trailer with a meth addicted mother and father I rarely saw. Put myself through college, paid off all my loans on my own, and became a pretty successful person. Must have been all that privilege as opposed to overcoming more obstacles than almost anyone I know and yet I’ll be called “racist” for simply stating facts. Identity politics and “woke” ideologies that are based in pure bullsh!t are destroying America and it’s truly disheartening😢

[@onlinesavant]

​@@Jianju69Where's you documentation to verify this? Further, you're intimating that all Melanated people of African ancestry are "poor and downtrodden." Neither of which is true. In FACT the majority of the "poor a d downtrodden" in America are "white" people. Fact. Black Americans were not eligible for social security, or the G.I. bill when the programs were initiated. Even though they were taxpayers, and veterans. Just as they were not eligible to go to state run universities throughout the south, until 1964. Again, even though they were paying taxes to support those institutions. So, your idea that $25 t has gone to support only them, is complete, and utter bullshit. Why did tou come here, other than to spew your foolish, racist, bile?

[@user-yf3eq4lu4v]

At 4:00, Is Coates saying the Civil War was not about slavery? That slavery was just added on at the end as a way for the North to justify not allowing secession? Anybody else catch this?

[@svp2010]

Yes. That is Exactly what he said/alluded to. Google "King Cotton" and find out

[@yunggpacino]

Just so you know the south stood to lose hundreds of millions of dollars per yr due to the cotton industry if they lost their slaves and to them that was worth everything including their lives always follow the money.

[@steverogers9894]

​@@yunggpacinoOk but it's still about slavery. That was the South's engine that enabled the money train.

[@pazzodi3]

He is very right, as a Native, I am fully engaged in protesting my cultural identity used as derogatory images such as mascots.. from the Redskins, Blackhawk, the Indians, the warriors, the braves, etc... And as I am in the front lines of fighting against such systemic racism from schools to large companies that continue to perpetuate such disgusting images and ideas of my people, I fully understand it is my responsibility to endure this pain and hardship because I must, for the good of my people and of the generations to come, I must make sure they don't go through this, so I continue this fight, good will always prevail, it might take a long time but the sun will shine on my people again... Juchari Uinapekua!

[@wheeloftime2908]

Yes.Thank you for speaking up .African Americans very smartly and deliberately exclude all other people of color from equality conversations and lets not forget African Americans WERE part of the the forces who led in the genocide of native Americans .Why arent they held accountable too?

[@pazzodi3]

@@wheeloftime2908 I think the reason they aren't held responsible for those moments in history is because it's a complex issue.. many Africans escaped enslavement and went to Mexico and coexisted with indigenous tribes and join forces to fight Europeans. In the USA it was illegal for Africans to marry indigenous... The five civilized tribes (named that by Europeans) adopted the idea of slavery and began using it towards Africans.. until many decided to go against European ideas and begin to rebel. Let's also not forget children grown into the system of enslavement would only know to take orders, so the African Americans that were engage in killing indigenous were brainwashed to obey orders. So there's many reasons why I would say they aren't held accountable because history can be very complex

[@Jianju69]

@@pazzodi3 Indigenous peoples exercised slavery prior to the arrival of European settlers. In fact, there were cases of indigenous slaves being sold by indigenous peoples to European settlers as well. You're attempting to paint this with the "white people are the root of all evil"-brush, but history tells a different story.

[@pazzodi3]

@@Jianju69 there weren't any cases as... If there were, present such cases? The only time Indigenous began enslavement was with the five civilized tribes which I mentioned already..all the other tribes stood against slavery.. hence why this land was called the land of the free, because people had spiritual, social, and land freedoms. I never said white people are the root of all evil... Those are your words, concepts of slavery began heavily in the middle east with their religions, not all Europeans used slavery, the Romans did heavily and Romans/Italians aren't white. They are Latin/Mediterranean.

[@snuglife4595]

Native Americans stole land from one another and murdered one another for centuries so which tribes do I owe reparations? Both my mother and fathers parents moved to America in the early 1940’s so my family didn’t participate in slavery so why exactly do I reparations to black Americans? Especially considering there’s millions and millions of black Americans who came from people who migrated here after the end of slavery. Guess all those people must be really dumb to want to move to this racist country huh🤔🤔🤔 On my mothers side my great (multiple greats) grandpa escaped from Northern Africa and made it back to Italy after being enslaved by people from modern day Algeria so where are my reparations for my relatives that were enslaved by black Muslims? Oh yeah, none of that counts since my skin is white right??? I better check my privilege huh? The privilege from growing up in a travel trailer with a meth addicted mother and father I rarely saw. Put myself through college, paid off all my loans on my own, and became a pretty successful person. Must have been all that privilege as opposed to overcoming more obstacles than almost anyone I know and yet I’ll be called “racist” for simply stating facts. Identity politics and “woke” ideologies that are based in pure bullsh!t are destroying America and it’s truly disheartening😢

[@yesgregyes1416]

Weak Soft Moist Hope: the gooey center of Audacious Hope, a classic American Cake Mix, 2 parts myth, 1 part lie, a dash of unacknowledged cruelty, baked over generations, sprinkled with white nuts, served with a scoop of vanilla, chocolate & plunder.

[@jeremym3892]

He reminds me of a modern James Baldwin. His point of moving past the myth of American history is something I can truly identify with.

[@gorgeousg8704]

I agree.

[@josephc.5317]

Lol James Baldwin wouldn't feed race like Coates and Baldwin had it so much more correct. Baldwin's views were no where near as grim. Coates is talking about slavery like people haven't been fighting slavery since the beginning of human history. Baldwin was elegant, intelligent, and hopeful. Coates is barely one of those things.

[@nmmk9134]

@@josephc.5317 Baldwin was a self hate and envious of white man. He lived in England and France. What a hipocrate.

[@josephc.5317]

@@nmmk9134 disagree but have a nice day

[@josephc.5317]

@Sanchi Hawkenrath Coates is tunnelvisioned Baldwin saw the whole picture. Coates is in now way better than Baldwin.

[@kylerobinson8913]

There is more than one window and they can be broken.

[@THEBATZZ]

Serious question. WHAT?! I have no idea what the “beautiful” question was.

[@nathanielheron8094]

If you work hard and go after good opportunities you can have a successful career. If you are self-controlled and take responsibility for your actions, you can have a successful family. It doesn't have anything to do with your race. Stop worrying about the world and worry about yourself.

[@berdellfleming5074]

"None so blind as those who will not see"

[@wheeloftime2908]

Racial Equality is NOT JUST LIMITED TO WHITE PEOPLE AND BLACK PEOPLE African Americans have been equally racist towards Native Americans,Latino & Asian Americans and Hindu Americans and Sikhs I have seen and experienced racism as an Hindu from African Americans How convenient of you to exclude them from equality conversations

[@dbailey9726]

Racism is a system what you are describing is prejudice . African American do not hold any power over any other group to the point of oppression . African Americans do not deny jobs they don’t cut funding from schools they don’t create food desserts they don’t tell people where to live they don’t put radioactive materials in water they don’t dismiss patients when they come to the hospital They don’t criminalize other races and give them high sentences in the judicial system I can go on and on

[@One-b7x]

so i saw you nonsense statement because i just found this video and seeing that i have some understanding of Indian racism against blacks, please tell me how it is equal because i have info to the contrary

[@prettyinpink9893]

WTH was the question

[@Joecool20147]

Wait maybe I missed something, but when looking at the moral reasons for the civil war, if you can’t find them because the war only took place to save the union, you can just ask why did the south secede. Because they thought the federal government was becoming too anti-slavery. Why was the federal government anti slavery. Was it for morals reasons? I don’t see any other reason for it.

[@ianbailey4213]

A good chunk of the Republican Party thought slavery was immoral, but you also had the regular white farmers who felt threatened by the Slave holders who held massive amounts of land.

[@michaelbaker1476]

I think that Mr. Coates is saying the moral reasons alone were never enough to take necessary action for the major moral victories that we claim. Laws were taken up to make those who disliked slavery a bit more comfortable to the idea that slavery existed, but it took the concession of the Confederacy to actually abolish slavery altogether. He suggests that with out that final threat of concession, the Union would not have had the necessary pressures to make that decision.

[@luciferfernandez7094]

Morals go out the window if you find the economic reasons behind it all.

[@ellomirza]

To call that a softball question is the understatement of the century. But the answer, wooo weee that answer, what a word salad. Ta-nehisi must mean “no substance” in some obscure African dialect.

[@DABIGDAWG001]

How to say “that went over my head” without actually saying it.

[@StressMats]

True discussion of love right there - the initial question was mind bending

[@mikeaskme3530]

Understanding the social economic structure in the USA isn't hard, its just a fools errand. This is what i believe and no one will change my mind on this particular subject. Every adult who has been through the USA educational system knows the root the cause of racism in this country and the effects of racism on the social economic structure of this country, they know it just like they know the back of their hand, they are just to cowardly to admit it. We have seen or have studied the effects of enslavement of Africans in the New World from that very first enslaved person up till the present we know and see the effects of enslavement in just about every country in the Americas. When Haiti won their war of independence what did the colonial powers do, they made Haiti actually pay France for loss of property, in Brazil the largest population of "black" Africans outside of Africa is in Brazil and who do they fair, statistically just as those in the USA fair. Its all due to racism and colorism, until we honestly look at our history and try to address the laws that made us who we are, we will always have this conversation and that is all, no solutions.

[@dbailey9726]

This woman should be writing books she’s nailed it on the head America is pretending

[@matthafer2415]

Damn that question was well stated. Great clip

[@E_Franco]

yay! so fun! i loveeee this vid guys

[@msorsky1]

Can someone please explain the policies that Trump has made that have hurt minorities, and then explain how any democratic policies have helped minorities?

[@Imyourchuckleberry]

Orange man bad

[@obi-wankenobihasthehighgro6607]

It's impossible to take Coates seriously unless people are okay with him comparing white people to be more like "pigs and rats" than human beings. For the life of me I cannot comprehend how Coates is held in high regard for what- because he is articulate- intelligent?? I spent some years working in hospice; didn't care about race of the elderly I helped but I do remember their stories about the Holocaust and WWII- battles and atrocities-- you could say I have a very intimate and specific view because of the stories and people I've spoken to. I find very very disturbing that Coates has a platform, that he is heralded as some kind of intellectual who has the moral high ground in regards to race. I recall another person who lived many years ago; they lived in country ravaged by the Treaty of Versailes- they also blamed a group of people for there misfortunes- this person and his country also compared this group of people to unspeakable things that were less than human. Hatred is hatred pure and simple- anyone who advocates for hatred and treating human beings less than they deserve is not upright, nor are they decent, they are not a moral person but are in fact evil. What is the difference between that man and Coates nothing, they both believed in hatred- in superiority of one group of people. The other more disturbing issue is not his perspective and opinions but that he writes for the Captain American comic book series; I've read enough to know that Coates does not like white people- actually he hates them and is proud of it... To me I don't care about race, gender or orientation- I do however care about a persons actions and words. In that spirit I like the sentiment of "To Kill a Mocking Bird"; I too try to walk a mile in others shoes before I judge them; however, in regards to Coates its easy for all to see from his action and words the kind of person he truly is. It is a dangerous thing to give a person like Coates a platform; because like that person so many years ago hatred only thrives when we listen to it, when we give it power over our thoughts and actions.

[@death2damari]

Okay, now criticize Thomas Sowell and Jordan Peterson for their anti-black racism.

[@thembanitheone]

Please repeat that a little louder for everyone in the back...

[@thembanitheone]

I've also always said something similar... If it weren't for ww1 and 2 in relatively quick succession European powers would have felt no moral burden to relinquish control of their colonies. Hence independence. Rota fortunae...

[@patricksmith8638]

Sir iam on board ...these White Americans believe THEY havent done anything .......could THEY truly be born for to get the Children of Israelites to come back to the Heavenly Father by their behaviors against Us ??? ...Someone told me , it is THEM who has NO SOUL OUR MELANIN give US A SOUL ....they are chosen to NOT have THIS POWERFUL substance....Love Only the Black/ Brown HEBREWS

[@normalizedinsanity4873]

This only touches the fringes of white privilege that stems from colonialism. The standard of living in the industrialized western nations that are all white, is only possible because of land theft and genocide, our entire system is built upon the dispossession/genocide/slave labor exploitation of indigenous peoples throughout the world that has never ceased. In every country from Australia, to Canada to the US the indigenous populations are treated like garbage and all indicators for health and life expectancy are much worse than for the white occupiers. I live in Australia and aboriginals here are the victims of abuses against humanity on a daily basis, en mass. Not just individual abuses.....collective abuse. In the Congo alone 10 million lost their lives at the hands of king Leopold of Belgium. Our lifestyles today are entirely dependent on "third world" sweat shop labor and the continued theft of resources. Africa is not a continent of small emerging countries as is often made out. The poverty wars and starvation are due to the west...Africa is rich in resources, all of her nations were made by the western imperialists who carved up Africa amongst themselves and drew the borders in doing so, deliberately including hostile groupings that they stoked antagonisms in order to have them fight amongst themselves......DIVIDE AND RULE. Why do you think Rwanda occurred.....because black Africans are barbarians? For every dollar of Aid Africa get they owe $25 to the IMF as a result of the west knocking off legitimate leaders and installing puppets that allowed for the rape of resources and the sweat shop enslavement of its people. The loans were taken out in order to provide the infrastructure needed to extract the resources. Because of IMF dictates, their payments come before any social spending, so workers get lumbered with a debt that can never be re-payed and have terrible living conditions as a result. Something like 400 million Chinese work in sweat shops, where nets are deployed outside of factories to halt suicides that occur from jumping out of windows. Bangladesh has a history of workers trapped in fire death traps, and buildings actually collapsing killing God knows how many. The entire Indonesian population work under horrific conditions and what is worse, in 1966 the people of Indonesia conducted a successful revolution.....the workers took control.....doesn't matter what we think, that is what they one and they have that right. Not according to the US and Australia who backed the Indonesian Military. providing support logistics and even the names of those associated with the revolutionary. A year or so later you could not go down a river in a boat due the 700-900,000 victims of fascist counter revolution that installed the Dictator Suharto......Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, Haiti are all murderous inventions by the white nations murdering the indigenous to get access to resources. 12 million deaths due to imperials intervention are attributed to the US alone since WW2, 4 million since 1990 in the Middle East. What do you the current wars are about? Genocide for resources. White privilege gives you the benefits derived from their misery and the ability to ignore it and pretend the crimes did not happen and are not still happening.....its called "guns and butter" there is a term for it alright. The people remain silent about the guns of imperialism due the butter it puts on their table. The worst aspect of the denial of White Privilege is, we are the only ones that cat stop it, instead we often vilify the victims and refugees and barbarians and lazy etc fleeing nations that are a basket case due to western intervention. America is in something like 50 countries in Africa today. I know this and I am ignorant. White westerners are complicit racist bastards and its coming back to bite us.....we had to run out of resources and people to kill sooner or later and that is essentially what is happening and the most barbarian backward culture the world has ever know that is drowning in its own cesspool.........the last the the west gave to the world was civilization. Trump is the ugly face of our denial, even just over the current atrocities.....he is our Dorian Gray. Land theft is not fait acompli.....it has to go back to the owners.....all the people of the world, this is our birth right that has been stolen from us all by the 1%, it is the source of their power and control over us. ......Whites are privileged, but privileged slaves.....the highest cast and only we can break this dead lock, while the misery continues as we refuse to acknowledge truth

[@johnstewart7025]

I think just about everything you said is true, however, when you say give the land back, does that mean going back to hunter gathering or simple farm economies or feudal empires?

[@centurionguards3819]

You sure aren't playing, an excellent expose on whats happening. My only issue is that Pres Trump is being lambasted by an evil and deceptive media machine. As Floyd Mayweather said, no one was calling Donald Trump racist before he became President.

[@johnstewart7025]

Raymond Mason I disagree about most of media however I'm surprised gop doesnt start new probe for Bill and hill or Obama. Maybe they are waiting.

[@georgemckenzie1824]

My best friend- great post....thank you

[@vshah1010]

@@centurionguards3819 It was known that Trump is racist before he became President. Trump put an ad calling for the death penalty of the Central Park Five before he was President. Also, Trump was accused (and settled the case) of housing discrimination before he was President. And, Trump spread the Obama birther accusation even before running for President.

[@WitchVuaBE06]

Can the truth come thrust for life times, not just urs

[@elvissurman8079]

No reparations no vote

[@mr.masses3202]

Your BOOK,TSssss...????

[@GeneralG1810]

Yes apparently as a straight white male I'll walk down the street and someone will just give me a house, car and dream job.

[@georgemckenzie1824]

Aussieblokegordo-youre a dope...

[@GeneralG1810]

@@georgemckenzie1824 mate I'm not the fucking moron who thinks white privilege is real

[@fod1235]

@@GeneralG1810 too right mate

[@MrGooner9000]

@@GeneralG1810 I don't like the term white privilege because it leads to misunderstandings like this. But the crux of the term means that your life can absolutely be shit, but your ethnicity isn't at play in that, whereas that can be that case for minorities. Everybody struggles, but I can almost guarantee you've never struggled BECAUSE you're white. You've struggled because of other things such as social class, which affects everyone. Minorities just have another factor to contend with.

[@sturgemoreland1381]

Its ALWAYS the clueless white guy.

[@DavidBryant-v1i]

Woke Racism. By John Mc Whorter. Read it

[@christenasmalls6118]

The white americans will decide what kind of nations they want going forward. Blacks have done all they can do to help them see what is right and blacks will sit back now and rest in the God who has always blessed them since 1619.

[@BryanSheasby]

Please don't deny people agency in their own lives. Not everything has an external cause.

[@Cng215]

Nope, the ashkenazi will decide where America goes next...

[@SWpurgatory]

Stop killing each other then you can rest.

[@ixat00]

Damn he's so smart... the point about external factors is spot on.

[@ezraemmanuelc.1164]

113414947311647387684 I disagree look back to why the South was going to secede from the Union. The world has a different view of slavery and their greed never ceased. And when they actively sought to expand the operation of Slavery to the Midwest that's what about a broke out. because there greed it was inevitable.

[@Spaceghost87x]

" Fuck Yeah " .... Ruling Class Families Playing Chessing With Human Lives For Wealth , Power .

[@lesterdiamond6190]

mmm mmm,,,, polk-flavoured word-salad!

[@DavidBryant-v1i]

Read John Mc Worter. Then toss this dishonest hustler to the side

[@WitchVuaBE06]

-thru

[@jacobcates4872]

Did Ta-Nehisi Coates move to France shortly after the election, or just before it? Sounds a bit hypocritical to me, sounds like he gave up and left.

[@gabby142812]

They had already been planning to move. I don't think it had to do with the election.

[@kevinodom2918]

Why didn’t he move to Mexico or Haiti or Africa? Why always moving to a white racist country like he seems to think? Looks like he’s racist against black and brown countries to me

[@gabby142812]

His wife had always dreamed of moving to France. He also speaks on race in France and his experience .

[@jacobcates4872]

Sorry, but his wife wanting to move there just isn't good enough. In Texas, we say, "That paint is to thin for that fence line." Meaning I think that excuse is too thin. I can't shake my own American sense of leaving-is-giving-up. I can still respect him as an intellectual and his academic contributions; but if anything, on election night 2016 his plans should have changed. Leaving the country when the Resistance was in its infancy, right when we need our black intellectuals most? Not over in France but here, in the States, on the morning talk shows every week if necessary to fight this hideous bigotry that has arisen with 45. He has got to know he has alienated a large portion of his audience with this, I hope it's worth it for him and his family and wish them nothing but the best in their new home. But this move makes me feel all is talk is just that, like every other academic....just talk.

[@nmmk9134]

@@kevinodom2918 right. Like James Baldwin. "Hated" white but dress like that and lived in England and France. Isn't that something.

[@centurionnicolaum8588]

"9/11 first responders are not human to me" -Ta Nehisi Coates

[@GeneralG1810]

I need to hear it in context, he might have been referring to them being super hero like doing a job that no mere mortal could do.

[@carlsnyder4833]

@@GeneralG1810 this was an excerpt from his book Between the World and Me. He is an exceptionally cerebral man and has a knack for delivering his message with an attractive panache. Despite this however, I believe he has some very dangerous views that if replicated enough will do some real damage to race relations in the Western world

[@Lightning-lv4bx]

AussieBlokeGordo He called them “menaces of nature.”

[@soneil]

What a great answer

[@donahrahkoonem]

po' blak liives matta milllionaire.

[@Spaceghost87x]

" Good Fucking Question " 💪🙏

[@johnhopkins2551]

Ya'll hate the truth...