“Most of the time, I don’t think that negative reactions to observational, non-prescriptive pieces about race are the fault of the author,” one reader argues. Photo-illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Tony Bock / Toronto Star / Getty August 1, 2023, 4:14 PM ET Welcome to Up for Debate. Each week, Conor Friedersdorf rounds up timely conversations and solicits reader responses to one thought-provoking question. Later, he publishes some thoughtful replies. Sign up for the newsletter here. In a previous newsletter about a country-music controversy involving the artist Tracy Chapman’s song “Fast Car,” I asked readers: “What is the most constructive way for the press to cover race if its objectives include accurately informing citizens about the past and the present––no matter how awful or uncomfortable––and refraining from framing the news in ways that are needlessly polarizing or essentialist?” Replies have been edited for length and clarity. Zachary harkened back to the coronavirus pandemic: Your question brought to mind this study, which found that highlighting racial disparities due to COVID-19 made white Americans less fearful of …