Racism is an integrated mind-set throughout American
culture.  Regardless of whether you are of European
or African descent the degree of pigmentation of skin
and the prominence of certain physical facial
features does matter.

For example, how many top tier highly paid male
athletes do you see dating or marrying darker skinned
women?  On television and in movies darker skinned
men are nearly always paired up with lighter skinned
women.

Why should we try to delude ourselves that by not
speaking truthfully of these things we are somehow
making matters better?