I certainly don't disagree with anything you've said (and I've said as much elsewhere - there is one demographic, and one alone, that's primarily responsible here, and that's obvious). But the overall point that I intended here is that "things are about to be a whole lot worse" - had it been, I would agree that yes, "worse" is an extremely relative term, since "worse" for me is the norm for most POC. I recognize and fully agree with that. My point here is similar to one of yours (I think) in that people have always existed - even thrived - under punishing and/or absentee regimes, and that we can likely survive whatever's next. If I didn't adequately convey that, it's owed to my failing as a writer, not to any disagreement with any of your points.

I didn't tackle race explicitly in this one, but I didn't make a deliberate choice to avoid it. I have tried to call out white supremacy in much of what I write, but I am fully aware that I have a long way to go in my own education and in the way I express things. Thank you for your thoughtful comment!