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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.
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Obama At Fort Hood

By Ta-Nehisi Coates

Nov 11 2009, 10:00 AM ET Comment

I don't know who saw this, but it's worth watching. I don't know if I've seen anybody in my adult life-time who better articulates what this country, at its best, aspires to be. It often falls short, and like all things built by humans, it is tainted. Still, Obama has this incredible gift for articulating our best aspirations, and that we have those aspirations means something about who we are. Exceptional? No. I reject that and I've had my fill of nationalism, no matter who's waving the flag. Bold and Remarkable? Always. I embrace that.



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