An apology
It's been brought to my attention that the previous post I made falls under the definition of a "tone argument," meaning that the angry response to racism is emphasized at the expense of renouncing the racism. I was unaware of this precedent, and I'm sorry if my response was offensive. I did not intend to assert that we cannot get angry about racism. My real point was that I think it's hypocritical to jump on the side of right in such a dismissive way when many of us are guilty of insensitivity. But that point is deflecting from the real situation, which is that bigotry has taken place. People who have been hurt by the story should never be discouraged from expressing their anger, and it is wrong to make apoligies for racism based on what I believe about the author's intent. I know ignorance is no excuse, and I choose to make this a learning experience so that I can prevent hurtful and ignorant behavior in the future. I sincerely hope that many people can walk away from this ugly experience as better people.