Taking absolute stands is risky. If America is the land of the free with opportunity for all, admitting that melanin plays a factor kinda punctures the whole mythology.

Then there's the uncomfortable reality that we have a moral obligation to fix it. Not just equality - which will scare the privileged population - but there's no moral argument against reparations.

Then there's the matter of conscience. For example, if the scientists were correct about COVID, then the GOP and conservative movement generally have hands soaked in blood. If vaccines work, tens of thousands of lives - hundreds of thousands? - were needlessly thrown away for political reasons. Hard to come back from that.

I've never lived in another country. But Americans, at least, are wizards at blindfolding themselves against uncomfortable realities.