I agree with Jerry Rasmussen who wrote upthread that
"There are some in any community who take great offense at the mildest statements, and others who are comfortable enough with themselves that they don't interpret every off-hand comment as an insult. You can see that here in Mudcat.."

I don't interpret ever statement off-hand or not as an insult. I often 'play past' {meaning ignore} some statement. But I also look for learning opportunities or create them-like this thread.

I have often said-and I repeat it here-that I am learning alot from being a member of Mudcat.

Besides for the knowledge that is shared here, there's another reason why I treasure Mudcat. There was a time in my life when I was desperately looking for good White people to conteract accounts of chattel slavery that I was reading, and accounts of the killing and maltreatment of Black people in the United States during the Civil Rights era, and the accounts of other atrocities perpetrated by White people toward people of color in the United States and throughout the rest of the world. I also needed and wanted to know that there were good White people out there to counteract the hurtful personal experiences with racism that I had.

That time has largely passed for me [meaning I'm not that desperate now]. But it is still good for me to have affirmation that there are people like you guys and gals out there.

I would imagine that there are some White people who are guests or members here who need to know that there are Black people who do not conform to the negative stereotypes that they have been consciously or unconsciously been taught.

Maybe Hilda Fish and I serve that purpose for those folks.