The Message: Main Ideas

It is a writer’s responsibility to haunt the reader.

Throughout the book, Coates prescribes the important role that writers have, especially Black writers (or other writers from marginalized populations). Coates believes that one’s writing, both its style and content, should linger in a reader’s mind. Effective writing will haunt a reader into the future. One’s thoughts and decisions will be affected by good writing. As a journalist (and writing instructor), Coates suggests that writers should endeavor to intellectually and emotionally stimulate their readers so that the readers carry the message of their writing into their everyday lives. He also argues that writers have a responsibility to change the world for the better.

Attempts to control American culture and education are designed to limit critical thinking.

In the first half of the book, especially the third chapter, Coates describes several systems in the United States that he believes discourage critical thinking. He focuses on education and media. He believes that public education in America is similar to the “banking system” initially described by Brazilian theorist Paulo Freire (see Key Terms). The American education system places a heavy emphasis on storing and recalling information. Coates claims that most assignments test knowledge of information but rarely give students the freedom to think for themselves and explore different ideas. Similarly, he claims that the media (news and entertainment) provides content in such ways that restrict one’s ability to think critically. News sources have specific demographics they are trying to serve, and entertainment content is geared toward specific groups. Rarely do either forms of media try to challenge their audience.

Oppressors often seek to justify their actions.

Coates sees the need to by oppressors pass off their behavior by justifying their actions with words and reasons as a pattern. He examines several different groups of downtrodden people throughout the book, focusing first on Black Americans. He describes the 19th century anthropologist Josiah Nott and others who used pseudoscience to claim that Africans were inferior genetically to Europeans. When confronted with the wonders of Ancient Egypt, Nott decreed that the Ancient Egyptians were not, in fact, Black Africans. This was in an effort to justify the enslavement of Africans in the Western World.

Later, Coates describes the Palestinian people, who he believes are similarly oppressed. He uses quotes from Israeli officials suggesting that the Palestinian people were savage and that their lives would be improved and modernized by Israel. Coates also draws connections between the rhetoric used by Americans in the 19th century to justify the poor treatment of Native Americans to justifications used within Israel of the abuse of Palestinians. Coates cites examples of violence against Palestinians throughout Israel’s history as well as existing laws and practices.

Israel has designed a modern apartheid to minimize the rights of Palestinians.

While Coates is traveling in Palestine, one of the people he meets describes the current system in Israel as “apartheid.” Coates later uses the term as well. He describes the history and connection between Israel and Apartheid South Africa as well as how the laws of Israel apply differently for Israelis and Palestinians. Coates also references quotes from different Israeli government officials and key members of the Zionist movement to show that Israel recognizes that it cannot function as a true democracy if the Palestinians are given equal voting rights. Coates also describes the methods that Israel uses to displace Palestinians from areas that can then be settled by Israelis.

Coates received a great deal of criticism for these remarks from supporters of Israel, as you can read about here.