On The "Race Issue," to a Friend.

I'd have to remind everyone, though, ______, that the situation is complex, very complex. Many people, of all colors and all backgrounds sometimes feel strong "racist" feelings in America. Probably most Americans, if you want to cut through all the understandable hypocrisy and hand-wringing, are fundamentally "racist." At least on many barely- or sub-conscious levels. When I say the hypocrisy is "understandable," I mean that the hypocrisy is understandable in terms of constituting a defense mechanism. Oh boy, does it ever, on all "sides," in different ways. I know of what I speak.
One can say what one wishes about which group should feel more responsible for our hideous, long-term, appalling American "racial situation." I'm not going there now, if only because this issue is so unavoidably explosive, I've no doubt already tip-toed too far into the minefield. It would be amazing if an American of ANY background hasn't been traumatized, mentally, along lines of being exhorted to bigotry. Even if such appeals are merely designed to sell products! And avoiding such temptation is going to require ongoing work of the highest order on everyone's part.

But good people come in all colors, and bad people too. I know that from experience.

It's largely the SYSTEM, you know. The divisions are there for an obvious structural REASON. Divide and Conquer, as always. When I first visited Europe, I felt noticeably free of my racial hang-ups, maybe for the first time ever. Not because Europe is non-racist - it clearly has massive problems of that sort. But I was free from the American "Racial" Hell for the first time. The twisted, warping, maddening, vexing burden was 3000 or 5000 miles away. I wasn't surrounded by it. Not even trips to Canada had ever set me so free before.
This SYNDROME is not just a matter of individual failings, it's SYSTEMIC. Malcolm X noticed. He wrote about the peculiar horrors of the American "Racial" situation, which became more apparent in his mind when he visited other countries. It's always strongly noticeable and of course it's substantially unique to the United States. And I'm not, btw, over-looking the pressing need for people of good will to assume a strong sense of individual responsibility. Let's all have at it, OMFG!!!

I'm back in America now....
AUGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!