Mia

Thank you for your thoughtful response. The point I was trying to make is that there is an underlying intinct for humans to dominate other humans. I think you get that point.

Moving forward (to me) means recognizing that instinct and sidelining it when it can't be easily removed. If we somehow believe that we can eliminate racism without addressing this domineering instinct, I think the racism battle will be more uphill then it needs to be.

Our domineering instinct is probably a combination of nature and nuture. Alpha males got more of the girls in hunter-gatherer days, so those genes were passed down. But many people who are psychologically wounded aspire for societal positions of dominance--so that can control others. This control simmers the fire of the hurt inside the dominators. And this domination affects the psyche of those people around them. It's a vicious circle.

I'm all for reparations to descendants of slaves and Native Americans.

I also think its folly to assume all white people are of the same mindset of the Ku Klux Klan. This stereotyping will not help. THere are various shades of grey in terms of racism, and many of us are learning.