Media accounts, and discussion, of
racism — especially in an era when the President of the United States has
systematically, and effectively, employed this device to enlist political
support of the most virulent bigots with voting rights — are almost universally
without intellectual, social, or historical depth.
Furious discussion as to what words or
behavior are “racist”, empty and false declarations that such behavior is “not
what we are” — these are the daily contributions of editors, politicians, and
media commentators everywhere.
A fundamental truth seems always
missing.