Damn.
It's not that I'm ungrateful, it's that I'm insecure. I like it better when I get hate mail that hurts my little feelings. After a bubble bath, a good cry and an episode of the Real Housewives Of Atlanta, I'm prepared to take on the world again! If Ne-Ne can be a writer, then she can be a writer! I mean, I can be a writer!
Wait, is that the "ding" of my inbox?
Mr. Coates -I don't know you, and I rarely read your blog. I avoid because your inability to put together a cohesive sentence is excruciating, and often times I have no idea what you are trying to say. I will say this, however. Your post about the Jews is particularly offensive, as it relies on a stereotyped perception of the Jewish community and the manner in which it affects culture and public perception. I am not even sure what your point is. Your blog will continue to be a place where vapid opinion is poorly written and is some how, through some strange and perverted process, monetarily rewarded.Sincerely,XXXXX
Ah yeah, that's the stuff. I feel those tears coming.
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
Wow. How cool is that tweet from Rachel Maddow? I couldn't agree with her opinion more.
"monetarily rewarded."
Some people who read the blog seem to think you make a lot of money, I know you have some books out and work for a pretty well known magazine, but I`m not wrong that thinking between living in NYC and having a kid you're not rolling in dough right?
Not even close. I don't know where this notion of "writer" as lucrative career comes from. I'm blessed, but not like that.
OK just to clarify I didn't want to come off as an intrusive a-hole, "you're totally poor right?" but to point out that people shouldnt set up comparisons between themselves and you based on the idea that you're really wealthy.
No problem at all. Whenever I can clarify my, uhm, position, I try to.
Sooo...how much does soros pay you?! Are you paid per post, or is it more classical american, per page? What clauses exacly are in your contract?! Do you have to fulfill a quota to recieve payments from ACORN?! And since you post on jewry, in what capacity is AIPAC involved?
also, congrats dude...must feel good to be you!
Like most bad things in this world, probably from Sex and the City.
so I'm confused if the person can't understand anything you write because of your incoherent sentences how cna they be so sure your Jews post was antisemitic?
eric, I think you mean his incohesive sentences.
Impressed! Big girl crush on Rachel Maddow.
You too! My gf has a serious crush on Rachel as well.
What is so awesome about this to me is that just this morning I was discussing the awesome piece that Mr. Coates wrote yesterday, the one entitled Shame, with my gf.
In my house, my gf is always talking about what Rachel did or said, and I am always talking about what Mr. Coates wrote or said.
So Rachel tweeting about Mr. Coates is sweet for us.
I have a boy (as in, I am) crush on Rachel. Kind of frustrating.
I second that emotion.
I'm there, too. I take solace in the fact that she's a continent away (not that proximity would get me past the obvious hurdles).
And, yes, that's a nice feather in TNC's cap. Surely moment to savor and if that sounds too meager, life doesn't deal out too many of those to anyone. Savor away !
It's nice to see someone so awesome recognizing ... someone so awesome.
Hi Rachel!
Now I want fried chicken. And that clip features reactions from both Dr. Horrible and Emerson Cod, which is some sort of 2 part trifecta of wonderfulness.
The letter reminds me why I'm glad you're swift with the ban hammer. That said, Eric has a good point.
Uh Oh. To steal a line from Harlan Ellison those who keep the machine functioning smoothly know you exist. Run Away Very Fast.
Seriously congratulations.
I saw this tweet floating around today. It was while I was telling my mother how I enjoyed reading your blog everyday. I still think your awesome sauce regardless of what that email says.
YOU SOLD OUT!!!1111 YOU LIE!!!111
Well, TNC, the tweet from Rachel Maddow is nice, but that e-mail is much more flattering -- I'm pretty sure the guy wrote the same thing to Philip Roth.
Reading that letter I could suspect that some group has a bot that searches the web for posts about Jews and autogenerates that letter to send:-)
Crazy I know, but it makes more sense than that letter!
I think you could be right, eric k.
Perhaps AIPAC has created a Golembot!
Ha! Golembot!
Win.
you just made me laugh out loud at work. Well played, sir.
or maam--sorry.
Hahah, awesome.
FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Um, honestly, XXXXX's comment is hilarious. And, I mean that. It cracked me up all the way through and I love his final thought on the monetary compensation you are receiving for what also strikes me as the extreme liberties you take with you very own Atlantic blog.
Anyway, I will say that XXXXX did not understand what you were saying in your original post. If I am reading you correctly, you were telling "us" to stop idealizing white people, and particularly Jewish people, when "we" say stuff like "we have to be more like the Jews and stick together," which is a common African-American battle cry. Moreover, perhaps, you were suggesting that "we" recognize the fact that Jewish people are not a monolithic group that always acts together, which I assume XXXXX would agree with.
Btw, do Jewish people consider themselves white?
Btw, do Jewish people consider themselves white?
Jews don't agree about that, either.
Touché
"Extreme liberties" taken with this blog? Am I missing something? Is TNC posting nudie pics, known-Communists lists, and Twilight fan fiction on this blog during the 3 hours a day that I'm not reading it? WHY HASN'T ANYONE TOLD ME I'M MISSING THE AFTER PARTY???
The secret word is hidden somewhere in the comments on each day's open thread--click every word, and eventually you'll be taken to a secret decadent den of extreme liberties. With fried chicken.
Cookies, also.
Don't forget the Grape Drink.
:)
Cookies? Nah, watermelon. That's what goes with fried chicken.
Mmm. Rachel Maddow. She's pretty all the time too, T-N C!
I knew it! Thanks, Deborah. I promise I'll be cool.
literary liberties. know what those are? can be good or bad, but having nothing to do with lasciviousness
It's all part of that "strange and perverted process" XXXXX wrote about.
Which he probably isn't part of, which would explain his bile....
My personal experience from synagogue: we consider ourselves white, unless we're talking about white racism. Then many of us will insist we're not entirely white, either in reference to the discrimination Jews did historically face in this country, or (this is my cynicism coming out) because we want to minimize our white guilt.
You want hateful emails? Why didn't you just say so?!
I'll have to watch her show tonight...see if there's a mention.
BTW, that letter is just so awesome. How can someone "rarely" read a blog and "often" have no idea what you're trying to say. It's more awesome that his sentence criticizing you're writing has a typo in it.
your writing...damn...ill leave.
I hear you, TNC, I hear you: it is so much easier to deal with offense.
In any case, Rachel is just one more of us. We love you here.
You know something, if you weren't so strict with the ban hammer, I'm sure you would get all the hateful comments that your heart desires - I'm sure a whole bunch of them would be directed towards you. Don't limit yourself to just the e-mails.
Get over it TN--Maddow was just commenting on your good looks. It must be your current diet and those dapper black suits you wear while interviewing Sully.
And what exactly is the "strange fashion" by which you are "monetarily rewarded"? I don't mean to sound vapidly opinionated,and I don't know the guy, but I don't get his point? Does Atlantic pay you in Prada handbags or something--those dapper suits?
We won't get into stereotypes (maybe XXXXX isn't a guy!) and perception here; that would require excrutiating collections of words, phrases, and clauses, which we all hold in antipathy and contempt.
Blog as place? Their simply is no they're there.
Very nice, I definitely agree with her statement, but I think if I used the word "beautiful" in that context I'd probably be violating some kind of "man law".
In all seriousness though, I don't have the time to get as involved in the daily back and forth up in here like I would like to, but I always make the time to observe, and rarely do I end up disappointed.
Props to you...
Well Mr xxxx, I understood the post, and everybody who commented seemed to understand the post. So that pretty much makes it an issue on your end. Good luck with that...
Antisemetic, barely literate, and over-paid. That's the stuff of dreams man.
Everyone raise your glass to Mr. Mel Gibson, the artist formerly known as Ta-Nehisi Coates!!!
Antisemetic, barely literate, and over-paid. That's the stuff of dreams man.
Everyone raise your glass to Mr. Mel Gibson, the artist formerly known as Ta-Nehisi Coates!!!
Awesome, GAPeach7!
Let me second that awesome.
WIN
I met Dr. Maddow when she, Chuck D. (yeah the Public Enemy Chuck D.), and Liz Winstead (creator of the Daily Show) came to ATL to do their show Unfiltered on Air America Radio. After the show, they hung out for a bit, we had a great conversation. Liz made me pee my pants she was so funny, and Chuck D. is like a big ole teddy bear, but Maddow is the most impressive. Her background, her odd jobs, her hobbies, and her show make me proud to be an over-educated black smart-ass who geeks out on science, history, politics, cartoons, cartography, etc.
She seems to be the first 90s teenager/nerd with their own news show.
Also, TNC and the other commenters: TNC's good, but he's helped out by you folks. I learn something in every post and comment thread here, and they are always entertaining, even if I don't participate.
Now keep it up, don't let it go to your head...
I pretty much stopped listening to AAR when Unfiltered went off the air. They made my mornings bearable.
Here, Here! To me!!
Just to keep you humble:
If we were going with the Mel comparison I'd say you really haven't made it until South Park has you running around in your underwear smearing shit all over yourself...
Give it time.
Don't get all soft, just because you're legit now. That's freaking awesome.
Funny, I was just thinking about how many Jewish readers, or at least Jewish posters (we are, after all, a voluble bunch), you seem to have. For the record, I, and probably every other Jew here, will be your Jewish bodyguard: any Jew that wants to fuck with you, they're going to have to get through me, first.
Count me in.
Hehe. So will there be a liveblog for the season finale today?
Nene has someone writing her book, Lisa and Sheree got people to design their clothes for their fashion shows, Kim has a woman raising her daughters, I`m really glad I`m not a trophy wife/ex trophy wife/mistress, its so demanding you can't even work on your own vanity projects.
HAHAHAH!
Tomorrow is the finale! One day LC!!
Hey! I was the first comment on that "Shame" post! Does that mean that Rachel noticed me toooooo?? I feel cool by association!
But, to the extent that Rachel Maddow liking your writing is NOT about me, TNC, I want to say this:
She's right. I love reading you, I really, really do. Thanks.
I avoid because your inability to put together a cohesive sentence is excruciating...
It's the clauses like this in letters lambasting another person for poor writing that make America great.
I don't know if this is snark or not, but I agree.
The great thing about America is that we are all so superior feeling, and then we f it up, pretty much all the time!
We are a nation of people who each believe, deep down, that we are an above-average driver.
(Yes, I stole this from Dave Barry. But it's still true.)
"where the women are strong, the men are good looking, and all the children are above average"
(stolen from Garrison Keillor)
it was only a matter of time before the secret got out. I feel like I'm in high school realizing a band I love just got popular. in the future when a friend emails me or links to your blog I'm gonna have to say "yeah, well I knew him pre-Maddow"
I feel like I'm in high school realizing a band I love just got popular.
Seriously, yes. I can't imagine how the people who were reading before Yglesias had him guest blog must feel.
Wow! I've read props to you from posters at Daily Kos as well as on TPM, but Rachel Maddow! Seriously, my 17 year old daughter loves writing and I often refer her to your blog. I come here for the insight and experience you (and several of your commenters) have into parts of life and this country that I do not. A while ago you wrote that someone had more experience or knowledge (or some such) than you on a certain subject. I would strongly disagree in that your knowledge and/or experience was not less, just different. That is what I like here.
This is awesome- like what Storm said upthread, my wife follows Rachel on twitter and I'm always mentioning this blog. Also- is the title a nod to David Sedaris?
yep.
Ta-Nehisi - you are beautiful in thought, and your writing, but you just made my legendary blogger list with your fried chicken "secret word link." I clicked it and saw my favorite part of Undercover Brother - The General's Fried Chicken commercial. I love it because in the real world, anything linked with black people always take on the feel that skit has (singing, dancing, "gospel-sounding" music, etc.). And at the end when the General explodes that is classic (because I sure do feel like that any time I eat good soul food).
And the recognition by Rachel is cool in itself, but only adds to the recognition you deserve because you have such a way about how you express your thoughts that I (as a black person) can relate and have pondered frequently.
Congrats!
High praise, well deserved. You write pretty now. Plus you run a terrific online community here.
Mad props, with a side of side of gratitude.
Woah, congrats, TNC! That is a beautiful sentiment. All my students know about my intellectual e-crush on you (who am i kidding about intellectual?) and my girlfriend's actually jealous. Plus, I'm really stoked to share that sentiment with Rachel Maddow and I'm guessing at least half the commenters here do as well, your lack of fried chicken notwithstanding.
Seriously, do something about that fried chicken. If you're going to be called incohesive, you might as well rub shmalts in their face.
I agree with the critical emailer in one sense: I do try to avoid this blog. Because every time I visit, I get sucked in and virtually ignore my actual responsibilities.
-- Yet Another Jew Fan of TNC
Aww hells naw! That email's got me ready to crack open a cold can a whip ass on your behalf TNC
Well I'd just like to say that I find you a fantastic writer. I find it stylish, creative, thoughtful and certainly cohesive. Mr(s). XXXXX, on the other hand, doesn't seem capable of seeing the world in a different and more nuanced light. It's his/her loss.
And for someone who lost 50 pounds not so long ago, I find your writing on obesity to be some of the best to be found on the web.
I just want to say that this comments thread rules.
TNC, if you're antisemitic the Seder invitation is withdrawn. Let me know.
I am not antisemetic--but you should withdraw the invite anyway. I'd just embarrass you.
OK, I hate to rain on things here, and god knows you're not the only offender, even in this thread, but could I most respectfully and affectionately ask one thing of you?
It's spelled 'anti-semitic'. Hyphen more or less optional, as is a capital 's'.
xo
F
I mean that, by the way, for all you guys. Jews, too...
I always felt Anti-Semitic to be the latter-day, watered-down euphemism. To boot, it permits ethnic Semites to play deceptive wordgames. Call it what it is: Judenhaas.
I agree. Moreover, anti-semitism sounds like a clinical condition.
Btw: Judenhaas means Jewrabbit and rhymes with Nas (the rapper). Hass means hate and rhymes with cuss.
Jewrabbit! I told you guys this thread rules...
I meant no disrespect. It's a typo in a comments thread. Where we were joking around. It's like me getting pissed every time someone in comments calls me Ta-Nehesi or THC.
We can't get through a thread without pissing someone off. Even a jokey one.
Oh, my, do I express myself that badly? I wasn't pissed off, nor did I feel disrespected. Just a bit...vexed, as one might be by references to 'misoginy', 'rasism' or 'homofobia'. For my part, I have to look it up almost every time I type 'feminism'...
I kind of like Jewrabbit, too. Except rabbit isn't kosher.
Is Welsh rarebit (rabbit?) Kosher?
I don't keep kosher, so I don't know. I'm pretty sure it's OK to watch Bugs Bunny cartoons, though.
Welsh Rarebit is actually cheese on bread. So I think it's Kosher as long as you use Rye bread.
Coates,
Do you actually respond to any of these e-mails? Did you respond to this one? Or do you resign yourself to pointing and laughing at the growing crowds of internet fools who are deeply offended by something they think you said?
I just wrote back "Win."
Nice. Looking at it again (it wasn't exactly clearly written, ironically), I realize that what the writer is really saying is, "I don't understand what you are saying, but I am offended by it." Like in the cartoons, man..
I too hate it when vapid opinion is poorly written. The email was, perhaps, a landmark in that particular category. The Rachel thing was the coolest tweet since Sully was posting the goings-on from Tehran.
When Rachel Maddow says "beautiful writer" she means "smokin' hottie". In a dignified, supportive, nurturing lesbian-friend-praising-her-straight-bud way, of course.
When XXXXXXX says, "rarely read but often find incohesive monetary fashion," (s)he means "superfine smokin' hottie I can't even write sentences no more!"
"Your post about the Jews is particularly offensive, as it relies on a stereotyped perception of the Jewish community and the manner in which it affects culture and public perception."
Talk about selfing. Guy either read just one sentence of that post, or has a mind-boggling lack of reading comprehension. Is it too late to sign up for the TNC Jewish bodyguard membership?
Congrats on the well-earned recognition.
um...Hi Mom!
also...
so if someone calls you (paraphrased) inarticulate...as opposed to the qustionable praise of "you are so articulate" this must make you a "run of the mill" black person in their eyes...oh the horror
Win! Awesome to see the things I love coming together.
How come I've never seen that Fried Chicken thing before?
I need to get out more. That's amazing.