The patience and poise Chimamanda Adichie displays under pressure is remarkable…
The Americanah author had to keep her cool when she went toe-to-toe on BBC Newsnight with R. Emmett Tyrrell, editor-in-chief of American Spectator, to discuss Trump’s recent win as the nation’s new President-elect.
The discussion started off on shaky legs when the host decided to ask Tyrell about the KU Klux Klan’s support of Trump, and he readily dismissed the group’s role and endorsement in Trump’s election.
Adichie was not here for it, seemingly both amused and mortified by Tyrell’s answer.
“The point is, the KKK exists. The KKK endorsed Donald Trump. The KKK stands for White supremacy, and that has to be acknowledged,” she said.
Through it all, Adichie remains calm and collected despite Tyrell speaking over her, and at times, seemingly egging her on.
The already contentious conversation goes further downhill as Tyrell insists Trump hasn’t been racist, a claim to which Adichie responds with what many Black people are already thinking in light of recent events: “I am sorry, but if you are a White man you don’t get to define what racism is… No, you don’t get to sit there and say that he hasn’t been racist when objectively, he has.”
Adichie has been vocal—often with her pen—throughout this election. She wrote a short story on Donald Trump’s campaign from the perspective of Trumpe’s wife, Melania, she penned an open letter of appreciation to Michelle Obama and she took on the topic of Hillary Clinton’s likability days before the election.
Watch it all unfold below.