Jon Abe
Whether it is in Ta-Nehisi Coates voice, eyes, or demeanor, one can tell that in both interviews he is overflowing with passion. In the NPR interview, Coates talks about his inspiration for his book, a college student named Prince who was senselessly murdered by the police, his style of writing, and his views point of race. While talking about Prince, you can hear the emotions in Coates’ voice. Coates shares an interesting viewpoint on African Americans and how they are viewed in society. He says, “It [the public view] may be our responsibility, but it certainly is not our fault.” I think Coates is trying to say that it is up to people of African American decent to portray themselves in good light by making morally correct decisions, but ultimately they cannot control the viewpoints and actions of others, including the police. The interviewer in the NPR is well prepared and comes up with interesting questions. She conducts the interview well and helps the conversation flow smoothly.
The PBS interview, although a bit similar to the NPR interview, focuses on the political views of Coates, and the racial inequality of African Americans, specifically those incarcerated. When talking about the hardships of African Americans, Coates says, “Any struggle worth having takes place among many generations. It is not so pessimistic about the long term.” Coates’ talks about that although the current situation is bleak with the shootings of innocent African Americans like Tamir Rice, he has hope for the future. Coates’ would like some sort of payback for the African Americans who have been mass incarcerated, a term he coined “grey matter.” Aside from touching the book Between the World and Me, this interviewer touches more on the political views. She is just as prepared as the other interviewer and responds to Coates’ answers well.
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