You are the one falling for the "OMG there's racists everywhere!" story line.
I took the weekend to think on this instead of replying on Friday when I first read Herzog's post.
Are there "racists everywhere"? I guess that depends on how you define "a racists" If that definition is applied only to men in white hoods or marchers shouting "Jews will not replace us", then the answer is no. Fortunately that extreme fringe is fairly rare, although still too common.
But what about those who find it acceptable when the crowd at a presidential rally chant "send her back" in reference to an African-born Member of Congress?
Or those who support Confederate statues that were built as symbols of intimidation to black Americans?
Or those who either accept or promote racially-based falsehoods during debates on immigration?
We see all those things around us on a regular basis.
In many cases the people in those categories do not have racism as the heart of who they are (unlike a KKK member), so perhaps to label them as "a racists" is too harsh.
But as I read and listen to the experiences of black Americans, both around the nation and here in Utah, including close friends, the mistreatment that they continue to experience is heartbreaking. The same can be said of other minority groups as well.
So, perhaps it is not true that "racists" are everywhere, but sadly "racism" is.
My hope is that if we stop denying that racism is still a problem we can do more to fix it.
