Let's Talk About Race: With Baratunde and Cenk (Part 1)

After our appearance on MSBNC Friday talking about the dumbass cartoon (that's how I officially refer to it BTW), Cenk and I decided to continue the conversation. Six and a half minutes isn't enough to address the points we both were trying to make. This is an experiment in dialogue with YouTube as the primary medium.

I've responded to the MSNBC video with my own expanded comments on the point I think Cenk was trying to make, namely that calling the cartoon "racist" (and perhaps not just the cartoon but other such actions and incidents) can make white people very defensive and prevent the kind of conversation we need to be having in this country. I don't completely disagree, but my priorities are different. Check out my video response and some supporting links below. Cenk should have his response up early in the week.

Here's what I put up as "homework" in the "more info" section of the YouTube video page.

• The MSNBC segment that launched this discussion


• Here's Cenk's Huffington Post article that expands on the point he was making on MSNBC


• Here's Baratunde's Jack & Jill Politics post on his main point


• More on Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff's psychological work on dehumanization and its connection to police brutality


• Interesting article by Rinku Sen on the difference between individual intentions and structural racism

In the video above, you'll see a YouTube link to the original 1600 Pennsylvania Ave segment. Once Cenk posts his response, my video will link to his, and his will link back to mine. Over time, you'll get a sort of threaded video commentary between us. We'll be posting these videos to TheYoungTurks.com, Huffington Post and Jack & Jill Politics for starters.

It's a conversation we need to have and an innovative way to have it! Happy sunday.