Please find every review of his book and publish this as a response. I couldn’t bear to watch him on John Stewart because I knew he’d get exalted as a hero. Tony Dekoupil got slammed in the WaPo for calling him out of the CBS morning show. I’m tired of screams of racism and then embracing antisemitism out of the other side of people’s mouths. Thank you for this. It’s actually pretty difficult to view honest reviews of this fake. Hopefully he’ll disappear into the woodwork soon.
I hear you. There are certain authors out there who style themselves (or I guess their PR people do it for them) as people who can't possibly be criticized. Well...
Just the fact that he refers to betrayal as" hurting people's feelings" speaks volumes. He, like many others who have their heads where the sun doesn't shine, ignore the fact that Jews were kicked out of every Middle Eastern country in which we landed. . So if we are talking about apartheid, it is necessary to correct the record and make it accurate. Also, I wonder why it is so easy for him to dismiss the fact that Jews as a group have probably stood up for black people more than any other group because we understand that racism and anti-Semitism are simply two sides of the same sword. Apparently he does not understand this or he chooses to ignore that reality. The same people that want us to examine our racism have absolutely no qualms about ignoring their own anti-Semitism. This is not " hurt feelings". This is sickening.
Apartheid as a rationalization for inflicting present day apartheid. Not an argument that occupies any moral high ground.
And, of course, black Americans, like the Irish, are acutely sensitive to gross ethnic preferences and ethnic discrimination against others. And just as you too are as you roll out antisemitism as the basis for the rationalization of discriminatory behaviors.
Denying the inherent antisemitism in such a screed which is based on biased assumptions, historically ridiculous comparisons, specious arguments, outright lies and blood libels is de facto antisemitic and an excellent example of gaslighting.
Excellent review! You come to much the same conclusions about this book by Coates as did Coleman Hughes in his review a few months ago in The Free Press.
Thank you for making this post available to all. I can also recommend Benny Morris’ substack article as an excellent counterpoint to this one: “Response to Coates: The message is more propaganda than history” for a factual takedown of all his misinformation and lies.
You absolutely skewered race hustler Ta-Nehisi Coates in this phenomenal article, Jill! I'm so glad you got rid of the paywall for it! What Ta-Nehisi Coates did was he went to Israel and looked only for evidence that confirmed his preconceived biases and never bothered to look at the Israel-Palestine Conflict through an objective lens. Nor did he meet personally with both Israelis and Palestinians to get a better, more nuanced understanding of the situation in the region. He went to Israel and saw what he wanted to see. You can't write a book on the situation in Israel-Palestine Conflict if you came to holy land with, your mind already made up. His book The Message is absolute garbage and full of lies, distortions and useless observations that are either vague and meaningless or are just downright wrong and he doesn't know what he's talking about. The Message is an antisemitic screed and top-notch race baiting that is totally worthless and adds nothing valuable to the body of literature on the 70+ year Israel-Palestine Conflict. The occupation of the West Bank and the other security measures Israel has taken are nothing like Jim Crow here in the United States from the late-19th Century to the mid-20th Century. You can't compare the struggle of African Americans for equal rights in America to the historical and current plight of the Palestinians. They are two very different situations. Is Israel an apartheid state? Absolutely not. Israel is a Jewish and multicultural state that is a liberal democracy with equal rights for all. Israeli Arabs received citizenship, voting rights and representation in the Knesset in 1948 and full equal rights with Jews in 1966. Israeli Arabs are 30% of the doctors in Israel and 50% of the pharmacists. Arab Christians outperform Israeli Jews for a number of college degrees. The chairman of the biggest bank in Israel is an Arab. Last example I would use would be there have been two Arab judges on the Israeli Supreme Court. One sent a Jewish Prime Minister and a Jewish President to jail. Is the occupied West Bank an apartheid state? No, West Bank Palestinians are protected from harm during war time, can work in Israel for four times the wages they can earn at home, can obtain Israeli citizenship, can marry Israelis, receive free medical treatment from the IDF, and had a degree of self-government. Blacks, Coloureds and Asians never had such rights and privileges or were treaty with such dignity. This is not to say the occupation is without its flaws or that inequalities don't exist in Israel. But overall, minorities in Israel and West Bank Palestinians are treated pretty well. If you go to any Arab country or Iran, you definitely won't find minority groups including Palestinians being treated with such humanity and respect. Mr. Coates would do well to visit Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, or Kuwait and see the real apartheid against the Palestinian people.
I’d add Elissa Wald’s fact-based tear downs Coates in her epic two-parter, “Fuck Tan-Nehisi Coates” along with the you wrote and the one you shared from Benny Morris (excellent recommendation, toda).
I admire the fact you have the stomach to read through such a screed and then to comment on it. Celebration of a shallow pseudo intellectual is hardly new, of course. But he is not a scholar of anything in so far as I can ascertain, and a very poor journalist. People like him slip in between the cracks of politician/writer/victim/PR promoter/social activisit/“esteemed professor”/cultural icon, and that is why they are so hard to engage with: they play all roles, at once, slyly and disingenuously challenging you to name the one you think is the most salient, or the most grippable, at any given minute, merrily slipping into the next role the moment you think you have successfully challenged them. It is like trying to attack a religious leader for their ideas: their followers quicky swarm around, singing their praises and drowning you out. This is a shame, because anti-black bigotry is a real thing - I have personally witnessed virulent examples - and represents a significant barrier to countless millions. I am not sure his brand of propoganda will help sway opinions in a positive way - but who can say? Historical irony surrounds us all just over the horizon. I strongly believe, however, that before American Blacks continue to compare themselves to Palestinians they should learn their language and go live among them. Specificity is a sorely lacking ingredient, akin to “tourism journalism” you take apart.
In fairness to Coates, he only has one story to tout.
But a book like this is devastating for the standard progressive 'pro-Palestinian' conception of the Middle East, which is so simple-minded that it will even fit into a Ta-Nehisi Coates fable.
Please find every review of his book and publish this as a response. I couldn’t bear to watch him on John Stewart because I knew he’d get exalted as a hero. Tony Dekoupil got slammed in the WaPo for calling him out of the CBS morning show. I’m tired of screams of racism and then embracing antisemitism out of the other side of people’s mouths. Thank you for this. It’s actually pretty difficult to view honest reviews of this fake. Hopefully he’ll disappear into the woodwork soon.
I hear you. There are certain authors out there who style themselves (or I guess their PR people do it for them) as people who can't possibly be criticized. Well...
They’re a sign of the times and because of their lack of true thoughtful &/or academic processes will eventually fade. Not soon enough I’m afraid.
Tony Dukoupil has been called to heel and he should be ashamed of himself as he reflects on his behavior in the harsh light of day.
Just the fact that he refers to betrayal as" hurting people's feelings" speaks volumes. He, like many others who have their heads where the sun doesn't shine, ignore the fact that Jews were kicked out of every Middle Eastern country in which we landed. . So if we are talking about apartheid, it is necessary to correct the record and make it accurate. Also, I wonder why it is so easy for him to dismiss the fact that Jews as a group have probably stood up for black people more than any other group because we understand that racism and anti-Semitism are simply two sides of the same sword. Apparently he does not understand this or he chooses to ignore that reality. The same people that want us to examine our racism have absolutely no qualms about ignoring their own anti-Semitism. This is not " hurt feelings". This is sickening.
Yes. 100%.
Apartheid as a rationalization for inflicting present day apartheid. Not an argument that occupies any moral high ground.
And, of course, black Americans, like the Irish, are acutely sensitive to gross ethnic preferences and ethnic discrimination against others. And just as you too are as you roll out antisemitism as the basis for the rationalization of discriminatory behaviors.
Denying the inherent antisemitism in such a screed which is based on biased assumptions, historically ridiculous comparisons, specious arguments, outright lies and blood libels is de facto antisemitic and an excellent example of gaslighting.
Excellent review! You come to much the same conclusions about this book by Coates as did Coleman Hughes in his review a few months ago in The Free Press.
Thank you for making this post available to all. I can also recommend Benny Morris’ substack article as an excellent counterpoint to this one: “Response to Coates: The message is more propaganda than history” for a factual takedown of all his misinformation and lies.
You absolutely skewered race hustler Ta-Nehisi Coates in this phenomenal article, Jill! I'm so glad you got rid of the paywall for it! What Ta-Nehisi Coates did was he went to Israel and looked only for evidence that confirmed his preconceived biases and never bothered to look at the Israel-Palestine Conflict through an objective lens. Nor did he meet personally with both Israelis and Palestinians to get a better, more nuanced understanding of the situation in the region. He went to Israel and saw what he wanted to see. You can't write a book on the situation in Israel-Palestine Conflict if you came to holy land with, your mind already made up. His book The Message is absolute garbage and full of lies, distortions and useless observations that are either vague and meaningless or are just downright wrong and he doesn't know what he's talking about. The Message is an antisemitic screed and top-notch race baiting that is totally worthless and adds nothing valuable to the body of literature on the 70+ year Israel-Palestine Conflict. The occupation of the West Bank and the other security measures Israel has taken are nothing like Jim Crow here in the United States from the late-19th Century to the mid-20th Century. You can't compare the struggle of African Americans for equal rights in America to the historical and current plight of the Palestinians. They are two very different situations. Is Israel an apartheid state? Absolutely not. Israel is a Jewish and multicultural state that is a liberal democracy with equal rights for all. Israeli Arabs received citizenship, voting rights and representation in the Knesset in 1948 and full equal rights with Jews in 1966. Israeli Arabs are 30% of the doctors in Israel and 50% of the pharmacists. Arab Christians outperform Israeli Jews for a number of college degrees. The chairman of the biggest bank in Israel is an Arab. Last example I would use would be there have been two Arab judges on the Israeli Supreme Court. One sent a Jewish Prime Minister and a Jewish President to jail. Is the occupied West Bank an apartheid state? No, West Bank Palestinians are protected from harm during war time, can work in Israel for four times the wages they can earn at home, can obtain Israeli citizenship, can marry Israelis, receive free medical treatment from the IDF, and had a degree of self-government. Blacks, Coloureds and Asians never had such rights and privileges or were treaty with such dignity. This is not to say the occupation is without its flaws or that inequalities don't exist in Israel. But overall, minorities in Israel and West Bank Palestinians are treated pretty well. If you go to any Arab country or Iran, you definitely won't find minority groups including Palestinians being treated with such humanity and respect. Mr. Coates would do well to visit Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, or Kuwait and see the real apartheid against the Palestinian people.
Hey, this could be its own review in and of itself!
I’d add Elissa Wald’s fact-based tear downs Coates in her epic two-parter, “Fuck Tan-Nehisi Coates” along with the you wrote and the one you shared from Benny Morris (excellent recommendation, toda).
https://open.substack.com/pub/neveralone/p/fck-ta-nehisi-coates?r=284cle&utm_medium=ios
And https://open.substack.com/pub/neveralone/p/fck-ta-nehisi-coates-part-ii?r=284cle&utm_medium=ios
Yes! That's a good one.
I admire the fact you have the stomach to read through such a screed and then to comment on it. Celebration of a shallow pseudo intellectual is hardly new, of course. But he is not a scholar of anything in so far as I can ascertain, and a very poor journalist. People like him slip in between the cracks of politician/writer/victim/PR promoter/social activisit/“esteemed professor”/cultural icon, and that is why they are so hard to engage with: they play all roles, at once, slyly and disingenuously challenging you to name the one you think is the most salient, or the most grippable, at any given minute, merrily slipping into the next role the moment you think you have successfully challenged them. It is like trying to attack a religious leader for their ideas: their followers quicky swarm around, singing their praises and drowning you out. This is a shame, because anti-black bigotry is a real thing - I have personally witnessed virulent examples - and represents a significant barrier to countless millions. I am not sure his brand of propoganda will help sway opinions in a positive way - but who can say? Historical irony surrounds us all just over the horizon. I strongly believe, however, that before American Blacks continue to compare themselves to Palestinians they should learn their language and go live among them. Specificity is a sorely lacking ingredient, akin to “tourism journalism” you take apart.
Thanks. Wading through antisemitic bs for educational purposes is one of the few things I do well. =P
In fairness to Coates, he only has one story to tout.
But a book like this is devastating for the standard progressive 'pro-Palestinian' conception of the Middle East, which is so simple-minded that it will even fit into a Ta-Nehisi Coates fable.