That's where the "in a way" comes in. I'm a white woman from the evangelical south. You are preaching to the choir about how white people vote, cutting their noses off to spite their faces. I grew up with this bullsbit on clear display.

But. It's more blatantly in your face in the South, you know what I mean? In a way, that's good. You know who the bigots are because they crow like a rooster about it often enough.

I guess I figured because of that, that racism was still only a major problem in the South. Not that it didn't still exist elsewhere, but that it wasn't pervasive, you know? I figured that elsewhere it was mostly a side effect due to ignorance of how certain policies would work out rather than a deliberate part of the plan.

I basically felt the same way about men and heterosexuals and all the dominant groups.

Basically, I was giving them the benefit of the doubt that they were basically "good people" who meant no harm and didn't know they were causing it when it happened.

Then I moved to Phoenix. It's here too, and not as 'quiet' as I thought before I'd lived here a while, long enough to notice some things. You know? Things that were out of place. The South is known for its racism, the rest of the country is not. Reputation or lack thereof doesn't always match character. In this case, the country as a whole should have the same reputation that has been levied against the South. That was the wake up call.

Also, social media has been like telepathy in a way. You really see how people think and feel and it ain't pretty.

And Trump has made racism and sexism and all the isms popular. That's been a very uncomfortable insight into human nature. Frightening, one might say.

Anyway, long story short... it's not like I didn't know racism and sexism was still around. I just didn't realize it was still this pervasive outside a few "hot spots", that bigotry has a tie to popularity the way it does, and how very very many people will still gladly, tits up/thumping chests with all the audacity and pomp and circumstance, lessen their own ability to thrive just to stick it to their neighbor. Or their children's future and ability to thrive.

That's new.

In regards to the abortion issue, these women have signed the death warrants on some of their own daughters and granddaughters with absolute glee and zeal because they were happy enough to do so thinking it would be someone else's daughters and granddaughters.

That's been somewhat surprising.

So much for the ubiquitous and overwhelming biological imperative to love, nurture, and protect your children. Right?

But maybe I shouldn't be surprised because of that whole Bible story about Abraham being willing to sacrifice his own son because in the end God will spare the righteous.

Lol. Boggles the mind.