I attended a predominantly white school that went from 7th to 12th, and I sat at a table with other kids. One kid, in particular, called me a nigger and said that he didn't understand why the word nigger was offensive to Black people. He also said that if he was Black he would be proud to be called a nigger. I sat at that table for 2 weeks trying to prove my humanity to this individual, told him that it hurt me, cried, tried to be his friend, and it did nothing. I did everything white people in this thread told me to do but got no results. I've had very similar encounters when I've dealt with racism and as cordial and as nice as I've been, they've never been convinced.
After two decades+ of personal experience with dealing with racism, I'm not going to coddle anyone who treats me as subhuman and I won't feel bad for using the label of racist for them. I won't.
White people really need to bare the burden for converting racists, not me as a Black person. If a person cannot recognize my humanity I will not show them any empathy. Black people literally led the civil rights era, and collectively have done more outreach than any white person in this thread suggesting that we open up a dialogue. We have been open and we have had hard conversations, and if you can't see that then you suffer from tunnel vision.
Why can't white people talk to other white people? Why am I responsible? Why should I tolerate being called nigger? I have depression and other issues that still leaks from the abuse I've faced. Where is my better place in this world? Why must I sacrifice myself for people who don't care about me?
When it comes to racial progress, I almost feel like people don't get it anymore. And a lot of white people, who say don't call others racist, don't even put in half of the effort I and others put in and they certainly don't live life as a Black person.
White people need to be held accountable for this environment and they need to talk to other white people about it, because I'm not doing it. And me abstain doesn't mean I don't want this world to be better, it means that I and others are weary.