-
Understanding Out-of-Wedlock Black Births
Conventional wisdom says that black people who are married have more children, but Atlantic editor Ta-Nehisi Coates writes that statistics show the opposite. There is nothing “immoral” or “pathological” about deciding not to marry. In the glorious black past, women who made that decision were more — not less — likely to become mothers. People…
-
Affordable Care Act: 'Colorblind' Policy and Bigoted Effects
The Atlantic‘s Ta-Nehisi Coates examines the implementation of the ACA and explains why the “lift all boats” policy often falls short. … I want to preface what I am about to say by pointing out the obvious — the ACA is a great thing. I suspect it will go down as the president’s greatest achievement…
-
How the Obama Administration Talks to Black America
It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that this White House has one way of addressing the social ills of black people — and particularly black youths — and another way of addressing everyone else, writes Ta-Nehisi Coates at The Atlantic. No president has ever been better read on the intersection of racism and American history…
-
Explaining That Race Is a Social Construct — Again
The Atlantic‘s Ta-Nehisi Coates responds to recent writing on race and intelligence by reminding us exactly what race is and what it isn’t. … The strongest argument for “race” is that people who trace their ancestry back to Europe, and people who trace most of their ancestry back to sub-Saharan Africa, and people who trace…
-
The Ghetto Is Public Policy
It’s hard to accept, but the wealth gap is not a mistake, Ta-Nehisi Coates writes at The Atlantic. I spent the last week interviewing men and women, and the children of men and women, who bought their homes on contract in Chicago during the 1950s. Contract buying sprang up in Chicago after the federal government…
-
How 'Accidental Racist' Is Actually Just Racist
Writing at the Atlantic, Ta-Nehisi Coates explains why the lyrics to Brad Paisley and LL Cool J’s duet are laughable, and why the very selection of LL as a collaborator was problematic. This new duet between Brad Paisley and LL Cool J, “Accidental Racist,” is getting beaten up pretty badly on the intertubes. I confess…
-
Ben Carson: Is He Wearing a Mask for the GOP?
In a stinging piece at the New York Times, Ta-Nehisi Coates argues that Dr. Benjamin Carson, the present darling of the right, is wearing a mask as he answers a call by white conservatives to challenge President Barack Obama’s policies after the failure of so many other “Conservative Black Hopes.” The present darling of the…
-
The Case for and Against More Guns
In a blog post at the Atlantic, Ta-Nehisi Coates takes part in a spirited dialogue with fellow Atlantic writer Jeffrey Goldberg about the pros and cons of gun ownership. He decides that for him it would be a burden because, among other things, he would be concerned about his own anger issues and about how…
-
What's the Matter With Florida?
In light of discoveries of reported errors in counting ballots in Rep. Allen West’s race, Atlantic blogger Ta-Nehisi Coates raises important questions about Florida’s electoral process. Allen West is challenging the vote count for his congressional seat. I think I see why: The elections office has admitted making mistakes in counting the ballots, saying that there was…
-
The Myth of an Affirmative Action President
In his blog at the Atlantic, Ta-Nahesi Coates ponders why people question how Barack Obama got where he is, while no one asks the same about Mitt Romney. It’s a familiar echo which goes all the way back to calls for Obama’s college transcripts. What Republicans have yet to come to terms with is that…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
