Why I don't focus on the usual interpersonal racism hot buttons.

She:

* Didn't say the N-word
* Didn't wear blackface
* Wasn't waving a confederate flag
* Didn't have a white hood / MAGA hat
* Said "African American" and then threatened him with the violence of systemic racism

Without the very real threat of systemic racism backing it up, her interpersonal racism has nowhere to go. But with the systemic racism, it becomes a reference to something much more harmful.

The MAGA hat and confederate flag are pointers to something much more harmful.

There's a big gap between how some of my white friends expect to see racism (looking for "forehead tattoo" obvious signs of interpersonal), and how black folk often experience racism (subtle interpersonal, blatant systemic).

It ain't about checking old yearbooks for Blackface.