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Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates - Ta-Nehisi Coates is a senior editor for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues for TheAtlantic.com and the magazine. He is the author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle. More

Born in 1975, the product of two beautiful parents. Raised in West Baltimore—not quite The Wire, but sometimes ill all the same. Studied at the Mecca for some years in the mid-’90s. Emerged with a purpose, if not a degree. Slowly migrated up the East Coast with a baby and my beloved, until I reached the shores of Harlem. Wrote some stuff along the way.

The incredible, thuggish stupidity of Sarah Palin

By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Oct 5 2008, 12:17 PM ET Comment

I have worked really to avoid writing a headline like that, but watch this video where she basically says, "If you don't support me, you're going to hell."



Incredible.Sarah Palin's message to undecided women is  "Support me, or burn." Is she out of her mind? Has she mistaken Sean Hannity for America? Does she really think this is going to sway women who are on the fence? Does she think Madeline Albright is going to give her cover? Does she have any concern for her own career?

But that isn't even the half. McCain--equally stupid--has somehow gotten it in his head that Palin is an effective attack dog--but she has no credibility, why would anyone believe her? She basically represent a profane, thuggish populism--but nothing else. George Bush had "compassionate conservativism" and "the ownership society." What else do these guys have? They're just running on a kind of tribal neandrathalism--nothing else.

UPDATE: What manner of Christianity is this? I can't talk because I'm not exactly a believer, but seriously--is claiming to know who will burn for eternity Christ-like? If you're a serious Christian isn't this offensive? There's something almost Taliban-like about it. Imagine Barack Obama saying "there's a special place in hell for black people don't support other black people."

UPDATE #2: I never do this, but email this joint around, and post it if you're a blogger. This is beyond gaffery--this is just insane.

UPDATE #3: Lotta commenters saying I'm taking this too far. I don't completely agree with the argument, but a lot of folks making it are commenters I respect, so I take the point. We're all subject to an overreaction, here and there. Half the point of having comments is to get called on your bullshit. The other half is for them to tell you how great you are. You guys can feel free to go back to the latter at any moment now...Any moment...


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