"They began to mumble when Barack Obama was elected president."

I have lived in the south most of my life, and my family for several generations have been southerners. About as pure white as you can get. I can tell you I have heard racial hatred all of my life and I cringe visiting family and the hatred just comes out for no apparent reason.

And it became very passionate when the president was no longer a rich white guy. Hate for someone just because they are black. Ask them "do you hate the President because he is black?" "No, I hate the white half, too."

Many of these will say they are not prejudiced, but they simply don't realize they are. The rest will not hesitate to simply openly profess to racial hatred.

These families are educated, middle class. Don't belong to the klan. But the attitudes exist. The discrimination and prejudice is subtle and systemic in public life. It exists everywhere and it's despicable.

Anyone that is privileged white in the South that says this isn't true is flat-out lying, or they are not from the South.

Great post. I get it completely. You should get a lot of steem for this, but my cynical part of me believes no one wants to listen to reason, much less love.