I wanted to bring up this thought experiment for white folks.
Close your eyes and imagine all of your experiences (including real-life and
even fiction) and think back on any time a white person said "Yes, what I said was racist". Still thinking, right? It's OK, I'll wait. The fundamental problem is that while white people will admit to murder, rape, incest, theft, and even
bestiality will never, ever admit to being racist. I want you all to stop and think about that. Even Dylann Roof (read his manifesto
here) who was let into a black church, sat for most of the scripture reading, pulled out his gun and shot 10 worshipers of God (9 of those parishioners died); begins his manifesto with the words, "I was not raised in a racist home". Again, think about the incredulity of that. This man spends page after page spewing his hate but does not admit that he himself his racist. This brings us full circle to why people of color have skepticism when white people say that they aren't racist or, worse, when they say "I don't see color". We have skepticism because no one admits to their racism so each denial rings hollow. Just this week, the President of the United States told four women of color to "go back to their country". Not a single person in the Republican leadership or Trump himself admits that this is racist. Trump said today that there "isn't a racist bone" in his body. Again, this denial - like all of the others - rings hollow.