Ar282...you keep inventing new hypotheticals and suggesting they demonstrate your claim. What does a white man's choice of Asian prostitutes have to do with cautious cab drivers? Your rewrites are certainly not identical, in that cultural views of various races vary widely, and treatment of 'young, black men' needs to be examined on its own merits.

"...it is that jaded attitude that enables you to state this without seeing the inherent racism."

Jaded? ME?? That's a new one.

Anyway, I make a careful distinction about the use of the word 'racism'...you seem want it to cover ANY case where the race of the individual is obvious. Calling it 'institutionalized' to avoid having to prove a specific case is slippery logic. OF COURSE there is widespread racism...OF COURSE it is wrong for a cab driver to bypass a young black man.....just as it is wrong for a young man to hold up a cab driver. The fact is, young black often bypass guys who look like them!

My over-riding, basic point is, that you are trying to apply the term 'racism' way too broadly. If every perceived inequity between two ethnic groups is called racism, we lose the ability to accurately portray the more serious offenses.

I knew a woman who applied for several jobs and was not hired. She intimated it was racism, whereas those who knew her were not surprised at all, because she is just not a very personable individual!

You have to reserve serious labels for serious situations.