2. The New Deal only benefited the white people and put black people at a disadvantage. Coates says that “Old-age insurance and unemployment insurance excluded farmworkers and domestics- jobs heavily occupied by blacks” (30-31). This shows that social status were in count with employment in the past. Mostly African Americans were the ones who did the low income and farm working jobs. Another bill that failed African Americas was the G.I. Bill. Title III of the bill gave “veterans access to low-interest home loans, [and] left black veterans to tangle with white officials at their local Veterans Administration as well as with the same banks that had, for years, refused to grant mortgages to blacks” (31). Both the bills and the Jim Crow laws put white people on a higher rank than black people. Despite being the most productive members of society, African Americans were constantly being discriminated.

3. When discussing homeownership for black people, Coates says that “They [white homeowners] targeted black people who had worked hard enough to save a down payment and dreamed of the emblem of American citizenship-homeownership” (43). “Some black people always will be twice as good. But they generally find white predation to be thrice as fast” (43). This shows that despite being hardworking and successful, black people are still being taken advantage because of their skin color. It is challenging for an African American to obtain the same achievements that a white person can easily complete. Coates brings up Barack and Michelle Obama, and how their handwork cannot compare to the Bushes. Coates says the Obamas “won by being twice as good- and enduring twice as much . . . Whatever the Obama children achieve, it will be evidence of their family’s singular perseverance, not of broad equality” (16). This proves that people with color have experienced more hardships in their life to obtain the same lifestyle than the white people.

4. The issue of reparations is much more threatening because some Americans try to say past is past or not acknowledge the seriousness of how horrible the people of color of endured their lives in the past. Some do not even notice their wrongdoings and even continue to show racism especially to African Americans Coates brings up a prime example of how Americans are unfazed by their heritage. He says that “Reparations would mean the end of scarfing hot dogs on the Fourth of July while denying the facts of our heritage” (50). This implies that reparation that does not only involve money. There are other ways to payback their terrific past.