Just to chime in, let it be said that this is far from a white condition in particular, but rather an arguably universal human one. Why do I say that? Because I'm not white; I'm sure you can take it from there...

I agree with Banquo's Ghost and many others in this thread. We are all racists deep inside somewhere, at some level. The real danger is not realizing this, but rather not realizing it, or succumbing to it. In all of us, The Dark Side is.

How do I deal with that? By recognizing this attitude in myself and others, and confront myself internally, refusing to let racism influence any of my decisions, conscious or unconscious. I notice some posts above me where the poster said that he will not risk danger by trying to be "politically correct"; well, it's the person's decision, but I promise myself to try otherwise.

To move from the theoretical to an anecdote, instead of using the usual black examples (that I have to use the word "usual" indicates quite a level of racism existing still in my opinion), I'd use a different example.

Two years ago I was invited as a student representative from my high school to a high-class event where I will meet a writer who came to the "society" to give speeches, have a meal, and all that. It was a gathering of, I think, the ultra-rich. I realized right away that, like the writer herself, I was really out of place there. These people -- that is to say, rich white old people, with a lot of old women mixed in (I'm sexist too!? lol) -- I felt that they fell into the stereotype of false, empty, and arrogant rich people are often viewed at. I can, of course, defend that judgment by my observations of the party itself. When the writer gave speech, they listened politely, clapped politely, and asked stupid questions. My teacher (I respect this guy very much by the way, he's very very intelligent and sensible) said as an aside to me that none of them probably read her [the guest writer's] book. And I also observed as I sat quietly with a group of them in their idle chatter ("my son went to so-and-so and brought back this so-and-so tea; it's wonderful!") and their false concern ("I got a stroke not too long ago/ Oh, my dear, how horrible!"). Needless to say I was disgusted, justified as I was by a very strong conviction that the Rich really deserves the Guillotine of the Revolution, with their class-inspired arrogance and their senselessness.

When I look back now however I feel that I have judged very harshly those people's natures. Sure, I still stand by the original judgment that these are idle people, but who isn't? If they're vain, then so are the rest of the world. And if they move around in masks of polite condescension, why, even the very poor have their own versions [think social taboos among geeks, the fashion world, and just about everywhere else]. That's not even counting that I'm generalizing an entire group of people with one, vicious, broad stroke of philosophical disgust.

It was, I think, racism (white), a gap of age (old), class conflict (rich, "aristocratic"), and all sorts of other -isms mixed into one, all of which essentially refers to the same idea of "us" and "them."

It is imperative, in my opinion, to treat individuals as they are and not as members of a group. And the only way to do so is recognizing the "us" and "them" mentality built into my very own self.

P.S. All respects to Banquo's Ghost for giving us all one of the best threads to ever grace the Backroom in a long while.