Sullivan...McArdle... Fallows... Coates???

Evidently so. Oh well, hello all. Not sure how many of you guys are new and how many are old-timers. For the new-comers, I'm Ta-Nehisi (that's pronounced Tah-Nah-Hah-See). I'm a 32-year old father of a bright-eyed, big-headed boy. Me and his mother have been together for ten years. Indeed, in October, we'll be throwing a huge tenth anniversary "Living In Sin" party to celebrate the accomplishment. I'll be writing more on the whole marriage thing, but for those who can't wait, dig this essay. 

But I digress. I came up as West Baltimore's only black nationalist nerd. Which is to say I consumed everything from Robotech, to The Manual of the Planes, to Black Folk Here and There. To this day I don't know who influenced me more--Gary Gygax or James Baldwin. I wrote a whole book attempting to grapple with that very question--along with a few others. I started blogging mostly to promote said book, but it turned out that I actually liked the form. More surprising it turned out people actually wanted to read these random musings.

I've written for the Atlantic once before, and I think I'll be doing more. What you should know about me, as a blogger, is that I try to know my limits. I know some folks have noted that I'm an awkward replacement for Matt, arguing that Matt  is more of a traditional lefty. I'm not sure what that means, but I do know that Matt has a fairly amazing ability to comment, from a left perspective, on a wide-range of issues. As I said, knowing my own limits, I'll take a different tack. On things I'm not so sure on, I'll state my opinion rather gingerly and then hope my commenters can fill in the gaps.

A little more on me. I think Emmit Smith is the fourth greatest running back in history--after Jim Brown, Walter Payton, and probably Eric Dickerson. I think Breaking All The Rules is an underrated romantic comedy. I think Boomerang is Eddie Murphey's best movie. I think Yusef Komunyakaa is a great poet. I think the creation of the Wu-Tang Clan, the release of Illmatic and Illadelph Halflife hold untold significance for the history of American literature. Give it some time. You'll see. I think noncustodial fathers should get the EITC. I think the Justice League cartoon was great And I think Black History Month should probably be abolished--when  McNasty's starts serving free chicken for BHM, it's probably time to go.

So that's all, that's me, the definitive summary. My only rule, really, is simple--don't be a jerk to people you disagree with. I'll try to do my part to keep things at once civil and unrestrained. I know you guys will do the same.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2008/08/sullivanmcardle-fallows-coates/5575/