Questioning somebody, based on the specific things they've said, is not a failure of empathy. It's not unempathetic to point out the glaring contradictions in what somebody has said and ask them to think about the implications of them. If you think I've misrepresented anything you've said, please tell me. I don't mean to be unfair at all. But I don't think I have been, so if I've missed something, I'll need your help in pointing it out. Saying it's mathematically improbable that I haven't, doesn't really give us a basis to move forward.

You having practice in treating ALL people like they're people is not salient as far as I can tell. It doesn't make your perspective unique or special. In fact it's strange that you imagine it does. Most people have had that same practice by virtue of living in a multicultural society. I've travelled to over fifty countries, I speak three languages, I've got friends of all ages and colours and nationalities, but I certainly wouldn't go around saying I'm the least racist person of any colour. Overconfidence is far more likely to lead to blind spots than not having a black or white family member.

As for what I fear I understand, I already have spelled it out. It's right there in my last reply. You reacted the way that you did because I challenged you to think seriously about the impact of racism from the point of view of black people. You've been nothing but complimentary when I've challenged black people to do that for white people. You've been positively bursting with praise. But when I ask you to do the same, you immediately change your tune.

I think you did this because you see me as a black person first and are mainly interested in what I have to say because I spend a fair amount of time challenging anti-white racism. I will continue to do that. I stand by every word I've written. But that should never be interpreted as meaning that I don't take anti-black racism just as seriously. In fact, given that it's far morre prevalant, I take it more seriously. It's just that in the current climate, hardly anybody is willing to stand up and speak out against it. That's a serious problem which I try very hard to rectify.

So yes, I'm saddened to learn that you have no problem with me challenging anti-white racism because that's the bit that impacts you personally. But, when I say something that challenges you, and ask you to look from the other perspective, you don't just refuse to do so, which would be bad enough, you leap immediately to attacking my views and my character with accusations that should be ridiculous to anybody who's read a word of my work. I think you did this because you weren't seeing me as Steve, the guy who wrote all those other articles, you were seeing me as some black guy who wants to attack white people. The switch was disappointing to say the least.

Combating racism is a two way process. Both black and white people are going to have to really meet in the middle. I come across many black people who are unwilling to do that from their side. And I come across many white people who are unwilling to do it from theirs. But as I've said many times, if I'm being fair about this (which I am), white people have to acknowledge that black people have far more justification for anger than they do. And black people face far more racism on a daily basis than they do. Again, you seem reluctant to acknowledge this. But I can't think of a more critical failure of empathy than the fact that this isn't obvious to you.