then I guess everyone over what, 30, is a racist?

maybe you saw something I didn't, though. I'm not as sensitive to this kind of stuff, maybe because I've experienced real racism (having people call you n*gger, plus a myriad other things that happened to me and friends of mine growing up.) I actually drove past a KKK rally when I was in my 20s. That stuff was real, so maybe that is why I don't get all that upset by a guy who wishes he could have been friendly with his black roommate.

I had a black officemate from Jamaica in graduate school and one of my whilte friends had a crush on her so I asked her if she'd go out with him, she said, "No way can I bring a white boy home to my mama!" That was 20 years ago. Not sure if it's changed... was she a racist? Was her mom?