A Letter to My African-American Daughter, and a Response to Ta-Nehisi Coates

National Review ^ | 07/21/2015 | David French

[rovenstinez]

An excellent article, a top of the line explanation, it brought tears to my eyes as the truth was naked and the reality absolute. Wish more people had this slant on the news that happens.

[moovova]

Wonderful, heart-warming letter.

[grania]

The only problem with the "tears to your eyes" is that with the racist "black lives matter" (what about white, Asian and other lives?....do they not matter) and the rioting in Baltimore and Ferguson, in addition to the protests and other incidents, a lot more people are going to want to avoid blacks. The Confederate flag issue made it worse....it's okay to destroy cultural artifacts?

Cab drivers have to make a living. I would submit that if they don't stop, it's because of prior experience. The black community has got to do more to stop crime. It starts with making communities outside their front doors safe, and yes, that includes accepting strong-willed policing.

PS: I'm not a raciest. I'm a realist that lives in an area close enough to the city to in my every day dealings see a lot of blacks who have no trouble with being accepted as employees, consumers, and neighbors.

[sitetest]

Excellent.

[ladyjane]

Then there are those small moments when a cab driver who has been working many hours turns to collect his fare and sees the passenger bolt out the door without paying.

[PhiloBedo]

I didn’t read the article.

I’ve come to the conclusion that anyone who uses a hyphenated label for their nationality, is wanting to draw attention to their ethnicity or race, and therefore a racist.

[IrishBrigade]

The only problem with the “tears to your eyes” is that with the racist “black lives matter” (what about white, Asian and other lives?....do they not matter)

If I’m not mistaken, which I often am, didn’t Martin O’Malley get booed in a speech to his alleged base because he said ‘all lives matter’...? There will not be even half-hearted attempts at reconciliation as long as attitudes like that prevail...

a lot more people are going to want to avoid blacks.

to coin a phrase I heard somewhere ‘The truth that dare not speak its name’...

[pgkdan]

This month, Ta-Nehisi Coates published Between the World and Me, a powerful collection of essays written in the form of letters to his teenage son. The book is a sensation on the left, and it is full of rage and even hate.

If I had to go through life with such a ridiculous name I'd probably have some issues with rage too. But it would be directed at the brain damaged idiots who stuck that monicker on me, not the rest of the world.

[rovenstinez]

The writer of the article, much like myself, now have as grand kids, loved ones who married Mexicans and Afro Americans. I thought he handled it well I did a GOOGLE search and saw that he is as white as I am, and I thought the article helped explain to his mostly black grand daughter why things are the way they are.

[katana]

The article is well worth reading. But I know how you feel. There are concessions that have been made to the distortions and contortions imposed on the English language by the Left that make one want to shout “Enough!”

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

When I look at your beautiful brown skin, it pains me that there will be some who dislike you simply because of that skin.

There are those who are like that, yes. But for myself, and I suspect the majority of non-blacks, it is what lies beneath that evokes so many negative responses.

[TXnMA]

PhiloBedo wrote:

"I didn’t read the article."

"I’ve come to the conclusion that anyone who uses a hyphenated label for their nationality, is wanting to draw attention to their ethnicity or race, and therefore a racist."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

prej·u·dice /ˈprejədəs/
noun
preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You, of all FReepers, probably should read this (excellent, IMO) article.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you did, you might learn that this US Army Captain

is David French, the Conservative, Christian author, who wrote ,

"And you’ll learn more about your own father, and the night I flew into Iraq — desperately praying for my own life and for the opportunity to see my family again — the very night you were born."

to his "brown-skinned", (and, apparently, adopted) 7-year-old daughter.

The "adopted" is a guess on my part, based on the fact that his wife,

Nancy French, is -- obviously -- white, too...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FRiend, you've been around FR long enough to have learned what , "RTFA" means. I recommend most heartily, that you do so. I believe you will be be pleasantly surprised...

Meanwhile, I plan to share this Fine article with friends and family...

[TXnMA]

The author clearly wrote, "my seven-year-old African-American daughter".

As you'll see in my own reply to PhiloBedo, below, I concluded that Naomi is adopted...

[PhiloBedo]

I might RTFA is the title had been “A letter to my daughter about the perceived prejudice and realities of living as an American”.

Labeling his daughter only adds another weight to her shoulders.

[PhiloBedo]

I am suspect of the parents motives, labeling their daughter , as if her complexion is more important than her character.

Could they be compensating, much like the Hollywood types that adopt minority babies as show pieces?

[SauronOfMordor]

BLACK cab drivers don’t like to pick up black passengers.

Besides the risk of robbery or fare beating, blacks are notorious for not tipping.

[Chickensoup]

This white parent of four black children tells you to go pound sand.

[Chickensoup]

chickensoup has been here almost 17 years and does not know what RTFA means.

Please enlighten?

[PhiloBedo]

I don’t know you and you don’t know me.

Apparently you’ve read way too much into my post that wasn’t there.