New York Times columnist David Brooks had a lot of feelings about reading Ta-Nehisi Coates’ new book “while white”, saying that it came as “a slap and a revelation.”
Constructed as a letter to Coates – just as “Between the World and Me” is written as a letter from Coates to his young son – Brooks reflects in his Friday column on Coates’ conception of the American Dream and the “pervasive physicality” of the book, particularly Coates’ oft-quoted idea that, in America, “it is traditional to destroy the black body — it is heritage.”
Brooks characterizes a year where police killings of people of color finally entered the American public’s consciousness as a great year of “education for white people,” saying the book “is a mind-altering account of the black male experience. Every conscientious American should read it.”
On the abstract notion of the American dream, Brooks writes: “My ancestors chose to come here,” whereas Coates’ “came in chains” as a possible reason that Coates dismisses the dream as “flimflam” in his book.
While Brooks acknowledges that, perhaps, a white audience should stop and reflect after reading, he asks: “Am I displaying my privilege if I disagree? Is it my job to respect your experience and accept your conclusions?”
Brooks also pauses to ask whether he, as a white person, has standing to challenge Coates’ appraisal of black life in America at all before continuing on.
“Maybe you will find my reactions irksome,” he wrote. “Maybe the right white response is just silence for a change.”
Before the column was published, Coates tweeted his thoughts about the reoccurring “how should I feel about your book” narrative from non-black audiences, saying, “No intelligent reader — white or otherwise — should want to be condescended to in that way.”
Write your truth and the reader gotta figure it out.
— Ta-Nehisi Coates (@tanehisicoates) July 16, 2015
The truth hurts doesn’t it Mr. Brooks. How dare a brilliant black man call out white people and dare to say how it feels to be black in america
Did I read this correctly? Did a smidgen of consciousness enter bobo’s head? If so, then maybe that is a start.
Work harder, Mr. Brooks.
Much harder.
David Brooks is an oblivious, smug, sanctimonious, self-satisfied fool. If he ever had to deal with the world as it actually exists his head would explode.
Yes to both. See, it’s not that hard David Brooks.