Ta-Nehisi Coates on… well, if you’re following this whole Burris-Blagojevich-Rush mess, you’ll know exactly what he’s talking about:

Nigga, please!!

I don’t know if I’ve shifted politically or what. But after watching a black man named Barack Obama—who couldn’t get into the Democratic convention eight years ago—win Virginia, North Carolina, New Mexico and Colorado, my tolerance for Negroes claiming that we need an appointment like this—in this kind of situation—is zilch.

Look, I say this as a black dude obviously concerned about race in this country. If you want a black senator go out and do the work to get yourself one. Build the organizations, build the fund-raising, do a black version of Emily’s List, if need be. At some point, you have to stop bitching about the track. You have to stop bitching about your hand-me-down spikes. At some point, you just have to go out and run. I have little tolerance for the racial grievances of upper-middle class blacks. Do for your damn self, and speak for your damn self. Keep my name out your mouth.

Via Ben Smith.

Eli Sanders was The Stranger's associate editor. His book, "While the City Slept," was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. He once did this and once won...

14 replies on ““N•••a, please””

  1. Wow.

    A black commentator with an unpronounceable name bitching about a black candidate (OK, half-black candidate).

    Just wow.

  2. Ta-Nehisi Coates (pretty easy to pronounce, actually) is one of the smartest commentators out there. And he’s right. The days of black guys being appointed Representatives of The Race (or appointing themselves) are over. No more Al Sharptons. If Burris is any good, let him prove it; if he’s just an appointee placeholder, fine, but stop with the “we need him because would feel better if there was a black senator, even a wooden one”.

  3. I’m so glad to hear Coates say this. When I heard Burris play the race card in the news this morning, I cringed. But as a white guy from the ‘burbs, I didn’t feel it was my place to call “bullshit.”

  4. This is totally like The Wire where the embattled mayor of the fictional “Baltimore” (read Chicago) started wearing those African tri-color ties.

  5. Is he over 30? Check.

    Is he a US citizen? Check.

    Have they actually started impeachment hearings on the Gov? Nope.

    Congrats, you’re a US Senator and don’t let anyone take that away from you, no matter whose KID they are.

    (ROFLMAO)

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