Thanks for that very thoughtful comment (and the correction about Jefferson's slave children). I know that the more I contemplate the subject of American racism, the more I find myself eroding certain beliefs that I grew up with. The subject of racism can be contentious and it can lead to tempers flaring. It's a complex subject and a lot of what it means to be American, even the stuff we take pride in, contributes to our nation's most awful problems. There's a lot of overlap between racism and other philosophical issues. I think you always provide interesting comments that lead my thinking in new directions so thank you for that!