It's a racist world. We are raised in a racist world, and often don't even know it. So many elements of the wall paper, the background, being here sending us messages we don't even know. Thank you Allison for helping me see the details in the wall paper. Ive been trained my whole life to ignore it, wave it away as mer decorations, or minimize it.

I'm kind of amazed at the white fragility of some of the comments left here. People seem to be accusing Alison of hate, just because she dare point out the subtle ways people can be racist. In no way, did Alison even say she hates white people, or even racist people! Calling out racism is not hate, if anything it's trying to help, and frankly she did so in a very gentle way.

Here's the thing, we don't always know when we are being racists, and the author is doing us a service by helping us see. Racism is evil, yes, but as a white person, I know I didn't agree to be indoctrinated into a racist world, but who we are. I have a new term for myself, unconscenting racist. I didn't consent to be raised and indoctrinated into racism, but here we are. Ignoring the racism around me, and me, isn't going to help. And honestly I am secure enough of a person to admit I am capable of racism, I was simply raised that way. No, I don't like it, I didn't chose it, at least not consciously anyway, but if things are going to change I can't just defensively stick my. head in the ground and loudly yell "IM NOT RACIST!"

No, I do racist things. I don't chose to do it, I'm not always aware of it, I don't mean to. But, I don't want to be racist. Being less racist will require being called out on the racists things people like me do, just like this article skillfully did. The things I have been taught, the things I have been indoctrinated too, being secure enough with myself to admit it, listening to black voices like this one call out the racism, and make choices to actively change my behavior. That is my duty as an unconsenting racist. If non-white people can put up with all the discrimination, the least I can do is my best to be less racist, own up to it, and do my best.

We're all just trying to survive out here and do our best.