So, we now know that modern
day racism has its formative
roots in the Enlightenment.

Locke and Kant, idols of
college philosophy classes,
put forward the absolutely

ridiculous notion that whites
are intellectually superior
to blacks based on the color

of skin. Where were our philo-
sophy profs? The ridiculous,
insidious notion lost its historical

articulation but kept its justifica-
tion — superiority. Oh, how we
love that notion and so it was em-

braced with hate and prejudice
and death and now the white,
evangelical, Bible-thumpers

who wouldn’t know Locke from
unlock your brain and Kant from
a con and while Locke and Kant

ignored the theological in intellect-
ual arrogance, apparently the thump-
ers don’t know Jesus’ inclusive

embrace and Paul’s universal,
egalitarian space. And we, geo-
graphical and genetical children

of Western Enlightenment, are
guilty of the heinous and disgust-
ing disgrace.

*idea from an article by Jamelle Bouie for Slate