Ta-Nehisi Coates deletes Twitter after spat with Cornel West

Best-selling and National Book Award winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates has deleted his Twitter account after an internet spat with philosopher Dr. Cornel West.

West published a critical short essay in The Guardian on Sunday. In one passage, West characterizes Coates’ perspective as “narrow racial tribalism” and “myopic neoliberalism”.

West accuses Coates of “fetishizing” white supremacy and “profiteering” off of “fatalism about white supremacy.” Coates, West claims, is essentially writing moralizing-guilt-porn for white neoliberals “who have no intention of sharing power or giving up privilege.”

West also turns the screws on Coates’ hero-worship of former President Barack Obama. “Coates praises Obama as a ‘deeply moral human being’ while remaining silent on the 563 drone strikes, the assassination of US citizens with no trial, the 26,171 bombs dropped on five Muslim-majority countries in 2016 and the 550 Palestinian children killed with the US supported planes in 51 days etc.”

Ultimately, West accuses Coates of having a defunct understanding of black history. His evidence includes Coates’ comparison of Malcolm X and Barack Obama.

“This gross misunderstanding of who Malcolm X was – the greatest prophetic voice against the American Empire – and who Barack Obama is – the first black head of the American Empire – speaks volumes about Coates’ neoliberal view of the world.”

After this piece was published, Coates took to Twitter to defend himself against the criticisms of the sexagenarian. Ultimately he wrote “Peace y’all. I’m out. I didn’t get in it for this.”

West has published many books, recorded an album that featured Andre 3000, Prince, and members of the Wu-Tang Clan, and has taught at Harvard and Union Theological Seminary. Dr. West cites Coltrane and Checkov as the greatest artistic influences in his life.