Jeri,
About 25 years ago I lost it when a maintenance man flooded my apartment for the upteenth time despite pleas to him and management. He was careless and not very bright and I used the "S" word. It still bothers me. His carelessness had nothing to do with his race but in my anger I stooped to the lowest form of criticism. Dare I say it? "Some of my closest friends are Hispanic." So why did I say it? Anger and somewhere inside me an ugly business. It has never happened since and won't ever happen again. I didn't like what I saw in myself.
I am giving Richards the benefit of the doubt because, on a much more private scale, I have been in his shoes.
I still cringe at my behavior.
Mary