Is Violence a Function of our Culture? (Full Session) 

Can I have a show of hands- who wants to see a debate between Coates and Larry Elder and/or Glenn Loury?

Good debate - Kudos to the efforts of the mayor and Thx to Coates for his brilliance and truth telling!

The idea that the person who knocked you down even cares about picking you up is a notion we need to get rid of...

The Mayor is stumped on where to start to stop the violence on 5 blocks. He cites 52% unemployment rate that's astronomical! Maybe they need to address getting them jobs?

Humanity doesn't value life for one another as of yet. Will we get to that level? I certainly hope so.

Much insight here into the inter-relatedness of crime, racism, and the criminal justice system. Hats off to the mayor of New Orleans and, of course, Ta-nehisi Coates.

Interesting, I think these two want the same thing. How to stop the violence is the question.

If a person that knocked you off the stool then made laws to make it illegal for you to stand, move or fight back is what America is...

This debate was about the same thing, I'd say. Saving lives! I am so excited about the steps Major Landriew is taking to address the smaller issues, that leads to the larger ones! Giving our children opportunities to get off the streets and create mentoring relationships! Opportunities for change! We're need more representatives with character and a desire for improvement! All change starts with a single step! Kudos to Mayor Landriew for apologizing for the history of racism in his city! That takes such humility and shows his desire for true reconciliation! Sometimes I think we need to listen better to one another so we can really hear and connect with each other!

If you knock somebody off a chair it is your fault but if u follow that act by placing massive weight on top of the person then that person not getting up is also your fault that’s a better analogy.

both did great, and both are right.

It is not that people 'keep misunderstanding this mayor'; rather I think the mayor doesn't really know what he is saying himself. The analogy is deeply flawed. What Coates is saying is that there is a perpetual and systematic 'knocking people off chairs'. You can't get up when white supremacy keeps using its 400 years of advantage and wealth to outflank African Americans in order to keep them segregated and not compensated: and this takes the form of further and ever newer structural processes of subjugation. The Mayor himself is part of this in the way he is trying obfuscate the problem. Not sure he intends it though, but that is not important.

This was 5 years ago? Can we please bring this mayor to the forefront of American politics today

Would have loved to ask Ta-nehisi this question: When one young black man makes the free will conscience choice to pick up a weapon and take the life of another black man, what exactly does he mean by there is nothing more blacks as individuals can do?

they look like mighty uncomfortable chairs

Ta-Nehisi Coates is Amazing, so smart and such a great story teller

STOP CUTTING TA-NAHISI COATES OFF!!!! DAMMIITTT!!!!!

How is the violent crime of rape self-preservation? (in regards to Ta-Nehisi saying that black on black crime is inaccurate, it should be called a culture of self-preservation)

The truth is always somewhere in the middle...

The cradle of violence is at home.......

excellent discussion

Afterlife and death is why ethics on Violence matters

2 things to aid the black community 1. Education of the real black history for students white and black all over America and an open space to discuss it, without fear of recrimination or judgment. 2. Get rid of guns.

Forgiveness is a fruit produced. It is a lesson one learns to release their oppressors.

Worst idea of the year... why don’t we just let everyone out!? Hell let’s give them their guns back too as they leave. It’ll surely have only positive outcomes.

Ta-Nehisi is a baby. Wish he would debate someone like Larry Elder, or Thomas Sowell. Most of his talking points would last 2 seconds before getting shut down.

This moderator is driving me crazy saying "ah" between every sentence.

The paternalistic southern mayor is hilarious😄😂

What the devil won't admit is that the neighborhoods were designed for us to do this to each other!

Coates opens by describing "bullying,' does he think that does not happen to white kids?

I want this mayor as my president

In the stats. About strong family structures.

The point about the term "Black on Black crime" may be used by conservatives as a reflection of the responsibility of society and the justice system to value Black people equally, but the real or original point is to emphasize the absurdity of this self destructive behavior, in light of the reality of the outside forces that are aligned in opposition to our well being and advancement. That people kill people in close proximity to themselves is beside or not even the point. The numbers being out of proportion, should be in the other direction for us. That is the point. Coates being from Baltimore, should remember or have heard of The late Congressmen Parren J. Mitchell having started the slogan " Us Killing Us equals Genocide" back in the late 70's to mid 80's. It pains me that we as a people, do not understand or appreciate this basic reality.

"Love Ya" by Blood Orange

40:00 If these black activists aren't willing to meet anyone half way on something as simple as personal responsibility then there's no point to this. Again at 43:50

Ta-Nehisi Coates one of the greatest minds today

Why....dose the moderator say "AHH" About Five thousand times???!!!!!!! GOT DAMN ....SICKENING!!!!! But these are the ones getting these jobs, and setting the standards for us (black people) to aspire to!!! Where they do this shit.....

That mayor is a champ the black guy is a lil victim beta

Shout out to the woman who started her statement by saying how she thinks Tanehisi is the greatest & follows his work but then asks what icons in the black community like Oprah and Jay Z can do demonstrating her true lack of awareness of his platform. He argues relentlessly that black people are doing the work to combat white supremacy and that white folks gotta step up.

Like Coates said it is by design and noone is shocked

Tanehisi looks a fool with the mayor's ending statement

We need to lessen the amount of people pushing other people out of the chair! Also, the mayor, while passionate about the “black on black” crime, was overlooking the fact that the reason that there are rallies against police harm is because they are professionally trained to represent law and order but more importantly to kill

I think the mayor is trying to make too many points. He's difficult to follow, and it's frustrating.

I cant stand back up we aint got no help we being held on the ground and the chair was takin

"Race, Class , and Violence in Urban America" will answer your question goo book

White guy on the right was going "Aaaaaa" and it's driving me up the fucking wall

48:00 Again, wtf does hurricane katrina have to do with jobs and education? Why would a hurricane make these things any better than they were before? They have nothing to do with each other.

Coates has no solution. Disappointed

Thank you so much. Google: Judi Grace StoryCorps.

No one stays down after being pushed off a chair; and to parrot Coates: it's always the fault of the person who pushed. This guys metaphor is tortured.

Ta-Nehisi doesn't know NOLA nor LA in general....shit is different here and the activism and agency manifest in other places in the U.S. are relatively ABSENT in NOLA and LA!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my god I had to stop 2 mins in because I cannot stand the constant "Uhhhh" between every two words. ughhhh !!!

Ta-Nehisi Coates; black apologist extraordinaire. love to see Ben Shapiro get a hold of this joker.

Ahhh, Ahhhh, Ummmm. Uhmmm, Ahhh, AHHH, AHHH. Public speaking lessons needed.

Sounds like the mayor actually wants to solve problems and Ta-Nehisi just wants to lecture about race and himself. Like wtf does Dylann Roof have to do with this?

Silly title

Stop the "Ah" "Ah" "Ah" puleez!

Oh my god I ha

OMG....the Uhhhh Um's are atrocious!!

Uh! Uh! Uhh ... Uhh.. uhh...uhh... Uhh. Uhh....

We do not know if there is any truth to this propaganda.

The telling dog uniquely carry because surfboard additonally obtain opposite a green grey grieving waitress. soft, elite body

Perhaps Mitch sticks to scripted speeches.

What I would expect from a debate between a politician and an intellectual...

Ta-Nehisi I love brother, but black people are not just fine. It really angers me because our situation in life, him in Baltimore and me in the Bronx in the 90's. It's a cop out to pretend violence as a way of life is normal and some how America has to fix it. You and I fixed it for ourselves and we owe the communities we left (survived) to be honest about the conditions they find themselves in. I live in the Chicago area now and my kids do not have to grow up the way I did and have the same fears as we did going to school. But I turn on the news and see the poor mostly black neighborhoods in chicago rife with violence. I was one of those kids on the corner and know first have it has a lot to do with the structures that were put in place to segregated black folks. But it's 2020 and if we can mass protest over a small population of black citizens unjustified killings at the hand of the state, and these protest has caused law to change and NBA to declare BLM what is the issue if white folks asking why haven't we seen that type of push to change the culture that causes way more live to be lost than police violence. The fact are the data is not on the lefts side and I'm a liberal. And I know people in chicago March against violence all the time, but the masses are just not there. It's a matter that I find some black, left leaning intellectuals have no real answers for because they see these people as victims of a larger force, and in turn some black folks in these communities internalize victimhood. But as that lady asked, what about the micro level solutions. Like charter school, mental health counseling and mentoring programs that starts with getting young people men in particular to value the nuclear family. They are way to many black single women raising kids alone either because the fathers are in jail, dead or absent. This cycle has been going on since the 70's and we see generational adaptation to this Norm. Again i was was a kid of the streets of the Bronx and say this phenomena first hand. And again the data is there to show how single parenting overall trap folk in poverty. As extreme as some black conservative can be they should be the people we listen to for real talk on these issues because they like Malcolm X understand white folks and the government cannot fix these conditions. The Mayor is one of the most honest liberal I have see on this issue and I applaud him for his not being scared of being called a racist for telling to Truth.

Freedom is the greatest illusion. When black people were “freed” from slavery they decided the new systems as being worst than slavery. While in slavery they knew they weren’t free but the new system created the illusion of freedom. The mayor contradicted himself too many times to be creditable. I believe he has morals but he deep seated opinions. Racism is a socialization and the mayor has come to full terms with that socialization. Also his use of “black on black crime” as a way of focusing on victim is completely false. He is pushing a narrative. Also language is very powerful and shouldn’t be ignored.

To stop crime you need to put the police where the criminal activities are occuring And have better relationship between the communities and the police force.

A nearly worthless debate. Coates should have been matched with a conservative intellectual rather than a politician. Landrieu practically fell over himself to apologize for his views and rather weak objections to several assertions made by Coates. I relish the day when Coates agrees to occupy the stage with an intellectual conservative who will be able to challenge some of his problematic logic.

I really love Coates and agree with him on everything... But there is an exception... I disagree with his conduct here. I see this trend recently, white people who care about black people getting turned off because of the treatment they receive from other black people. Really, what was there to argue with or disagree with in regard to what this mayor was trying to do for New Orleans? We all know that there is a problem. Coates never offered a solution. He simply said that black people are doing fine. I agree with him COMPLETELY that white supremacy is the major contributor. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that white supremacy is the cause of ALL violence in the modern world. But Coates, you gotta give us a solution to this problem. When it's pared down, it seems like he's saying just continue to be good and do your best. How is that any different than shucking and jiving 3.0?

First thing he would do as king is release criminals. This is CLEARLY a man without any kind of real plan. For all his intellect and thought if that's the best he can come up with as a first point then he's lost me.

Ah yes Ta-Nehisi, releasing violent criminals in jail on the streets is going to help violence on the streets... haha

In the U.K. we have a knife crime problem that people are quick to label a race issue but Scotland has a similar knife crime problem in the 90's and it was labeled a poverty issue. funny that

The mayor is on the statistics, that's key. The who is pointless. The how to solve is the statistics that can prove what can work. White shirt have one direction and we've heard all that, we know all that, that's what's not working. White supremacy? There are no whites in this deal, move on. White shirt wants to blame, forget that, stay on point. It is fixable. Accountability, family, us, we, that's what I'm hearing. His point is to do it now don't rely on anything. Personal responsibility. Hay white shirt, how's the blame thing working so far? I agree with you on violence but the numbers are way out of control. Your dangerous by admitting to release violent criminals, that's insane. Your impudent sir. You solve nothing. You need to listen!

If we viewed all issues from a class lens, then we would solve these problems. Yes, because of a history of oppression, policies to address class issues will disproportionately help the black community, and that is right and just(get over it fellow white people). The lower and middle classes have the power to enact these changes, but they are always at each other's throats about race. I want a world where the poor of all ethnicities unite to fight the real power that oppresses them. Our two party system perfectly divides the poor whites(republicans) and poor blacks(democrats), which silences what could be a monumental united force for positive change.

This mayor seems genuine, and is taking the punches and keeping his integrity, even when he's wrong he seeks to understand, this is the solution to systemic problems vote for people in government that focus on addressing lowering the horrible numbers even if they dont understand how they are so high, VOTE for guys like this!!!

guy needed more coach classes i feel. how can someone be so dumb to take his PERSONAL expereince and claim its true for whole America/world. he is not refencenig people, he s not bringing up studies. for me, black suffering is mostly caused by other blacks and this opinion is backed up by a lot of people and their studies.

The mayor is doing more talking than listening. The communities that are slow to come back are the black communities. If you want to fix the problem do what you have been doing for the white communities and give it 30 years.

42:10 The mayor's analogy about being knocked down from the chair is inaccurate as it neglects to assess the level or degree of injury sustained after the knockdown. Taking that into account changes the way in which we seek to find a resolution to the "chair problem". The mayor's argument is flawed by his erroneous presumption that after being knocked down and sustaining critical injuries so as to render the person on the floor paralytic, thee injured party somehow has the ability to pick themselves up despite having never received nor been offered adequate medical attention, assistance, physical therapy, and a period for recovery. If you are knocked down from a chair and break your neck or break your leg and are not afforded the proper assistance or therapy, I don't care how strong willed and determined you are, you will likely continue to crawl or walk at a snail's pace until that injury has been properly tended to. Now what should the injured party (African-Americans) do if the person who knocked them off the chair (racist segregationist government policy, racially discriminatory private sector, predatory lending practices of banks, racist criminal justice system) never comes back to help and render aid? Since it is most probable that they won't the victim/survivor is left to his own devices to heal himself and find a way to survive devoid of the pusher's (government and those in power who have a stronghold on the means of production and resources) help. This results in the victim/survivor having to become innovative and creative in their quest to attain the resources necessary for their survival which involves cutting corners (illegal activity), asking for assistance (public assistance or jobs) from the person who pushed them. Unless those in power relinquish their stronghold on resources so as to share in the control of resources (not likely to happen) the only option for the victim/survivor is to fight to obtain the resources he needs to help himself by any means necessary.

usain bolt, please run slower, you are showing black supremacy. really now?

Mayor Landrieu, my first volunteer experience was at 14 in a recreation center in Baltimore, Maryland. I would move into employment through the youth program. At the end of my employment journey with Baltimore Bureau of Recreation prior to attending collage, I had a 9 year stretch in a job I loved. What you described in this discussion, your action taken and invested no longer exist. The capital needed to keep recreational centers in Baltimore are defunded. I am now 60-something. I would say from my perspective, things really started going down hill crimes wise fast. When the recreation centers started closing because they couldn’t sustain themselves, this sucked the life out of communities. Restoring recreational centers and programs is a great start.

Just jump past infuriating idiot commentator who says ah between every 3rd word.

Coates is in denial & lacks objectivity.

I tend to agree a lot more with the mayor.

Coates lives in denial.. .2015 and 2021

The wheels never met the road here...

So far this mayor comes off as well-meaning and uninformed. I wonder if he’s ever sat with New Orleans activists to discuss these matters.

I still don't understand that chair analogy. I think the mayor needs to drop it.

The Mayor is the Truth Presidentil .....I pray it is just not talk.....Shout out From the Eatside Detroit ..

To attempt to solve the violence without changing the structure that causes it is to be able to silence and ignore the violence.

Man you know what, Ta-Nehisi Coates is acting like he isn’t clued into exactly what the mayor is talking about here. He’s a smart man right? He’s playing dumb and it’s a disgrace to watch. He should know better than to build straw men. And what’s with this chummy stuff between him and the host? It immediately sets the mayor up as the outsider. Why is the host tapping the mayor on the elbow as if to say-ok that’s enough now. This is a serious discussion about American youth being disgustingly slaughtered on American streets. Let them start joking about his Brazil nut allergy or whatever in front of the mothers of these young men who’ve been killed. It’s tacky, it’s wrong and really just…bizarre. Can you imagine what this actually looks like? People’s heads blown out on the street. It’s horrific. I’m sorry to have to describe this in such graphic terms- but we MUST talk about it this way. Because this video is only one example of how we as Americans have failed to look this horror in the face. And in turn, normalized something so very abnormal. I’m frustrated for the mayor. He’s saying this is not right! This is not normal-and he’s being gaslit. The only thing he can do is go back to his city, stay certain in his resolve and push forward with trying to save lives.

Brown Richard Hall Anna Martin Betty

well Mr. Coates lost me meaning in the first few seconds I'm not hearing the answer or resolution to the problem of violence yet speaking of your ritual of going to school all I'm saying so sorry I get bored quickly.

Mayor for Governor then to president. Thank you.

Ask George...

You each heard exactly what you wanted to hear.

Every generation is a cultural shift. We can't expect those older generations to give up their culture, they have their rights to their own opinions. People don't realize that it takes longer for this to work. We have to have patience and proper education. Our education system should be the epitome and focus of our society. Through school, racism breaks it's ties because the structure is familial. You have to wait for these family's to die of age and their children to have the opportunity that presents enough experience to allow them to escape their families beliefs.

These comments often mirror the barrier to problem solving: criticism of two people, one white, one black, trying to find solutions while passive participants on here superficially critique their heroic efforts.

Uh uh uh uh uh....Jesus the first guy said uuuuuhmmm so much

we're done talking!

I don't think what they are saying is different. it's the same thing. one is changing ideas, and one is bringing those changed ideas to action. two sides, sane sword. I love you both. -a New Orleans girl