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What is it about Baldwins and Coates exigence that makes their letters so powerful ?

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We did good!

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or understand more why his father is writing this letter and what his point might be

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Ahh!

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@Natasha ^

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@ Jonathan in a way his son will sympathise with his father and will have an easier way to understand the hardships black people have to go through

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@JOhnathan He might feel sympathy for his father, and be more understanding towards him and why he is the way he is

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it give his son some context and reasoning as to why his father is writing this letter to him

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@Melissa So what might his son feel, reading experiences from his father?

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@Jonathan I think it was his way of showing that he has loved and been loved just like everyone else and this shows his son that even though there are a lot of things going on in the world, he cannot let that affect his views on everything. I think he wanted to tell his son to love more just like Baldwin is doing.

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Does it put a leverage to his message?

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@ Jonathan i think it does create some kind of impact because by using real life example it backs up his opinion

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Why does Coates use his personal experiences (par. 5 &6; and seen many more throughout the text)? Does it have a bigger or stronger impact on his son?

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@ Jonathan yes i understand

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@Natasha YES!

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@Natasha Do you kind of understand where I am coming from with why Baldwin made White America seem "innocent".

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@Glenda I agree.

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@Glenda I see...

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@Jonathan I agree with you. Baldwin spoke very well of these innocent countrymen not because he agrees with them but he feels that we should accept them because they have lived their life the wrong way and t is up to us to change their minds and that is by giving and showing love to them.

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@Johnathan Yes, because he's specifically talking to his son and telling him of his own experiences

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I agree with all your answers, Baldwin isnt saying what white people are doing are right but understands that they never experienced the prejudice black people have experienced causing them to be naive

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@Natasha.. No, I don't think he is justifying their actions, i actually think he only feels sympathetic because to them they seem naive and he feels bad that they have so much hate in their hearts

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and wanted him to be comfortable in his own skin

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@Natasha I disagree with that; however, I do understand why you would say that. Baldwin calls the "countrymen" meaning White America "innocent" because they don't see the damage that they are doing. They don't understand how it is to live as a person of color. With that being said, they aren't going to change the way the do things (oppress, discriminate, and etc) until they understand how much damage they have caused before, now, and for generations to come. Baldwin tells us that by telling us that we must accept them.

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Anyone have anything?

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I think a difference between them is that Baldwin was writing to his nephew so he was not as stern or straight forward with him. Baldwin sugar coated a lot of things to the point where he even defended the actions of the countrymen that he views as oppressive. On the other hand, Coates was writing to his own son so he really was straightforward about everything and he did not lie. Rather he gave very descriptive examples because it was his own son and he would not feel right if he were to lie to his own son instead of showing him everything that is wrong with this world.

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Alright it looks like everyone is on the same page for that one. Let's move on to another question or connection between the two writers.

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@Glenda.. Exactly ! I think that baldwin only wanted his nephew to grow up with hope

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Do you guys think that Baldwin is kind of justifying white peoples actions?

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@Glenda Yes! They were living in the moment and looking for things that brought them joy, than living in the world and being probed from all different angles pertaining all of the issue and oppression that was given towards black individuals.

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@Melissa I think at the moment they did have hope because even though they have seen many things in their life, they wanted the child to grow up seeing and knowing better so they had hope for change and happiness.

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@Glenda i agree, it came to a point where like they had become used to the situation, but do you think that they still found hope in their hard situation ?

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@Melissa I agree with you on that. I think they had been given such a great gift at that time that they did not care about anything bad going on at the moment.

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@Glenda & @Melissa I agree with both answers!

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@ Mellisa i agree with what youre saying. Instead of lying and making fake promises to his son about everything being okay he tells him straight up that is not and in order to succedd in a white world he needs to fight for it

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@Melissa I feel that Baldwin obviously approached his nephew with a different approach. He did sweet it up a lot and didn't use an aggressive tone as Coates did.

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Also guys just @ people to directly talk to them so we don't get confused.

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@Melissa I totally agree with you! I feel that he wanted to just tell him straight up!

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@Johnathan I feel like they weren't heavy hearted because the nephew was born and they had something to be hopeful for

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I believe the difference between Coates and Baldwin is that Baldwin seems to have more hope and is ready to accept them but Coates seem more agresesive with his tone and is fed up believing nothing will ever change

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Hey! I have a question about something in Baldwin's text. In lines 49-52, Baldwin talks about some of his nephew's family members and how they were not "heavyhearted". Why is that?

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I believe that Coates wrote his letter in this specific manner because he felt he needed to tell his son exactly how it is, and not sugar coat it. In this day and age there's so much wrong going on that it's valid for him to be angry.

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@Jonathan I think Baldwin was saying that their family had every right to be angry, sad, etc. but they were not because they have lived in this environment for so long that they have become almost immune to the hate and negativity.

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You will use this space to:
1) Tackle the big question: What central ideas does Coates and Baldwin communicate to their intended audience, and what are the similarities and differences in their delivery?!
--> You may also ask and pose questions around: UNDERSTANDING, GOLDEN LINES, & CONNECTIONS. See picture below.
2) Respond to other Silent Contributors using accountable talk.
3) Respond silently to what was said inside the inner circle.
**NOTE: You must "respond" using facilitation moves we discussed, and use evidence from the text whenever possible."