The Ezra Klein Show

Back when only the elite could read, it was a real boom when the masses learned to read. It made them a little less vulnerable, and people were open to new worlds. I cannot pay to read or listen to the many people I follow, including you. I, like many others, am on a fixed income and taught in public schools for 45 years. So, you are losing this follower once that paywall goes up.

Weak Ta-Nehisi Coates interview. Tee ball. Never really challenged him. Coates admittedly ignores the Israeli side of the argument. Coates and Klein morn the plight of the Palestinians, and never mention the cash flow that Hamas and yes the Palestinians spent on hundreds of miles of tunnels and munitions to continue their charter declared goal of eliminating the Jews from the River to the Sea. They didn’t spend a dime on improvement of living conditions for the Palestinians. Zero discussion about the apartheid of Arab women in the Middle East and the poor human rights conditions in every Middle Eastern country. Typical NYTimes whitewash. The way they report on Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, and Iran, you’d think these were all freedom fighters. No wonder so many people are confused about the subject.

The recent interview with Coates on his essays of Palestine and Israel brought me to leave a review. At face value, an interesting exchange between people debating, disagreeing, exchanging ideas. We need more of that these days. In the end, they both reveal themselves to be sort of the same. Able to pass endless, scathing criticism of Israeli policy and Israelis without an ounce of honest realism to contend with the realities of life there. Klein believes that to know the history you will understand how we got here, but can never justify staying m here. Yet, in all the interviews I hear from him, offers absolutely no vision for a next step or a future reality. What exactly is the counter factual that you are promoting, Klein? With all of the wisdom you possess and the moral superiority you claim, do tell—what do you offer? It’s frankly exhausting and misleading to listen to these writers incessantly complain and yet have nothing alternative to offer. And for Coates, perhaps the most hollow and revealing part of the interview where he says he won’t offer an opinion on a solution because that’s for the Palestinians to say is rich coming from someone who is profiting immensely from this book claiming to reveal a narrative that none of us are privy to, yet stop short of suggesting anything of practical value. (That is unless his real suggestion can be summed up in more violent resistance—seemed to take quite offense to the term “Hamas Apologist”).

I’ve been amazed by the depth of these episodes, learned so much and been grateful for the degree of complexity, not dumbing it down for an audience. I feel like I’m at a dinner table with the smartest people in the world. But I was almost moved to tears by the conversation with Ta Nehesi Coates. Thank you. What a breathtaking, important discussion: sharing of perspectives, candor, directness, respect for each other’s points of view, and integrity among colleagues. Best interview I’ve heard with Coates and such an important, courageous talk. I think I’ll probably listen to it again and again. Wish there were more podcasts at this level.