Book Review Essay Sample. Ta-Nehisi Coates - Between the World and Me

United States of America has always pride itself as the land of the free, the land of equal opportunities, prosperity and independence for all. It is a land formed under the spirit that every man was born equal. Yet, according to Coates book, Between the World and Me, America is the land of the oppressed, slaves, racial injustices and police brutality and people live in fear (Hayman 3). Coates argues realistically rather than melodramatically having been brought up in the suburbs in the West Baltimore where violence was the order of the day and everyone in the society had at least lost their child, perhaps to the streets, to prison, to drug trafficking and to the armed militia. Thus, the book sets to discuss the various forms of violence that the young people of the African-American origin are faced with; these are exclusively drawn from the personal experiences of Mr. Coates and are thus not theoretical.

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While some point at the fact that the government is truistic in nature through the manner in which it provides security to the citizen, Coates holds a different opinion. He argues that violence, murder, brutality and other social ills in the society have been in existence for many years. He even points at the fact that injustices cases that have been occurring in the country can all be traced back to the flawed judicial system (Pig 5). This is depicted in the manner in which young and unarmed citizens of African-American descent are killed by police who should be providing them with the protection they need in life. The situation has attracted wide cry from so many quarters and the most affected people are calling for changes that would see them lead better lives.

Dealing with police misconduct has for so long been hampered by the growing bureaucracy brought about by requirement such as federalism, causation, discretion, separation of powers and requirement of tabling evidence. At times, individuals present some evidence showing police brutality but in most cases it is ignored. Coates in his book Between the World and Me attempts to bring out the feelings and symbolisms that are a characteristic of what Black Americans go through in life. It thus justifies the fact that crime and persistent violence has always been an evolving theme in the American history.

Coaets assertions can thus be pointed on incidents such as Charlestons shooting, armed robberies that police have been unable to deal with, unjust judicial systems and other ills in the society. He however, offers a message of hope by drafting a letter to the youth in which he advises them to wake up from the sleep of the American dream. It calls on all to heed to the American creed which recognizes the fact that all men were born equal. Despite the truth, Coates posits that African Americans have contend to fight for such truth. He also advises them not to feel intimidated, killed or taken to jail unlawfully by the police. (Coates 53). This can be seen in the manner in which he states that he is torn into two. He informs his son that his life was marked by old codes which despite shielding him in one world, chain him in the next. The trauma that youths go through in life does not just end there but transcends. This is the main reason that Coates is bitter at the police for violating on the rights of others.

Works cited

Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between the world and me. Text Publishing, 2015.

Hayman, Casey. "" Black Is... Black Ain't": Ralph Ellison's Meta-Black Aesthetic and the" End" of African American Literature." American Studies 54.3 (2015): 127-152.

Pig, Capitalist. "BERNIE $ ANDERS." Advocate (2015).