Photo from Democracy Now, November 24, 2024

In his latest book, “The Message,” Ta-Nehisi Coats speaks with a level of humanity and clarity that the mainstream media works very hard to avoid.

The book is a compilation of four essays, structured not as a continuous narrative but as a series of reflections and insights that weave stories and ideas into a broader commentary on the state of racial and social justice in this nation.

And then he takes us to Palestine and Israel to witness the colonial habits of the western world that govern an apartheid reality cloaked in all the patriotic liberty and freedoms of a modern democracy.

To Ta-Nehisi Coats, the idea that a nation, almost literally built on the bones of enslaved people, would supply and support the destruction of the Palestinian population, is not consistent with the American values we say we hold for ourselves and our allies. He is provocative, and the personality of his writing style encourages us to keep looking, and ask for the information that the legacy media may not provide.

In my opinion, Ta-Nehisi Coates is one of the most profound writers of our time. He shakes the tree of our humanity until all the best bits fall to the ground and lay clear for us to see. “The Message” is a significant contribution to contemporary discourse on race, history, and identity. It’s not just a book, but a call to awareness and action. Coates challenges the reader to look beyond the surface and face the realities of systemic inequality head-on. This work is essential for those interested in understanding the detrimental effects of oppressive colonial legacies, the depth of racial and social dynamics in America and the need for collective reflection and change.

In this season of giving, let the rocks of humanity be life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Note: On December 5, 2024, months after Coates published The Message, Amnesty international posted the following: “Amnesty International investigation concludes Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.”

This excerpt is from the UCCPIN December 2024 E-Newsletter. To view the full newsletter, click here: UCCPIN December 2024 E-Newsletter.