African American

From the grotesque display at Charlottesville to the sneaky and sublime we all see and choose to ignore.

I have often said, "Don't argue with idiots". I believe this may be a cowardly and enabling view of confronting racism.

I see racism in my Texas town often. I asked a 70-year-old neighbor his opinion of Obama. He said, "I just think they should stay on their own side of the tracks". I did not believe it was worth confronting him. 70 years old and a set in his ways, a bigot. I do not believe he is a hater. He is ignorant.

But he is a mild form of racism I encounter in North Texas. It is overwhelming. I believe I am wrong about not arguing with them. It must be confronted, exposed, and debunked with great vigor.

Racism is taught in schools, churches, family. It is tolerated in almost all social situations.

If we tolerate it, we are complicit. I am complicit and my beliefs about ignoring it were wrong. I am a 60-year-old white man. I have always known how prevalent racism is. I truly regret the times when I have not confronted it as vigorously as it deserved.

I am just so overwhelmed by it. And I am not the target of it.