This book is essential reading. It gave me clarity on the current state of American politics. I was definitely aware of the undercurrent of racism that carried Trump to an electoral victory in 2016, but this book makes it plain that we all have a responsibility to talk about it. We can't ignore it. We can't dance around the issue. We can't let Democrats rely on a strategy of appealing to "white working class voters."

Instead, we should be talking about why it's wrong to surrender to racist ideas. When someone talks about how liberals are "anti-white" and "whites founded the USA," etc., ask that person questions like this:

"Is there anything besides your whiteness that you are proud of?"
"Are there things in this world that you care about more than being white?"
"Now separate those values from race. Think about these things that you care about and why they are important to you. Will a vote for a politician who promises to punish "immigrants, Muslims, blacks, or gay people" address those things that are important to you and award you for those qualities that are more important to you than being white?"

These line of questioning might seem naive. Perhaps it is. But this country needs to talk about racism and how it infects our politics. Today politicians are using racism to seize power, and then they use that power to enrich themselves and the rich people who fund them, while nearly all voters are screwed over. It needs to end.