I'm sure I've said it before, that I did not experience or see racism growing up. I was aware that it had existed at some point, but for me it was part of America's history. I grew up in Daytona Beach, and lived there until I was 20. I then lived in CO for a year. I did not experience or see racism. I joined the Navy in 1980, and I was either active duty or dependent until 1996, and I did not see or experience racism in the Navy environment. It was not until I moved to MD, that I experienced anything that looked like racism.
My first job, part time because I was still a "stay at home" mom, was working in the General Store in St. Inigoes while my daughter was in school. I was at the register, and there were maybe half dozen people in the store. It was around mid-day. An elderly black man came in, walking very slowly with a cane. When I say elderly, I mean he was ancient. It took him several minutes to get from the door to the register, which is near the entrance. He made a request form something behind the counter, and said he needed to go grab a pack of hot dogs from the back of the store. I told him to sit tight, that I would get them. As I was walking back, I noticed that everyone in the little store had stopped what they were doing to watch me. I remember feeling very awkward because I had no idea why they were staring at me. I grabbed the hot dogs, and went back to the register, rang him and and bid him a good day. The people in the store continued to stare until the old man left.
Another time, I was in Raleys in Ridge. I got in line behind a young black man, probably 30ish, who had a few things in his hands. He told me to go ahead of him. I said I was fine, not in a hurry, he only had a few things, but thanks. He was very insistent, but so was I. He stood there for another minute or so, then said he had forgotten something, left the line, and came back a few minutes later, as I was checking out. It didn't look like he had gotten anything else. I got the impression that there was some unspoken rule that I was not familiar with.
I also started experiencing the black on white rudeness and general lack of courtesy in Southern MD. The entire time I lived there, I would have experiences like a black person ahead of me, and the cashier carrying on a conversation and being cordial. When it was my turn I wouldn't get so much as a "kiss my ass", at least nothing audible. There's a cashier at Shoppers that probably still does this. I stopped shopping there because of her. I was always pleasant to her, and she would treat me like I was invisible every time I went to her register.The cashier would process my stuff, with a shriveled up prune expression and practically throw the receipt at me. Or the "whadda' ya' want", and just basically an angry sort of person.
Anyway, more to the OP-I don't find it so far fetched to think that there is a place, that not not in the too distant past, if not now, was or is a place that a black person might not feel safe going to. That said, there are places that I don't feel safe going to. I won't drive down Great Mills Rd after dark. Mind you, that has less to do with the color of anyone skin than just the general nature of the area.
Now, down south I'm finding that if black people don't like me, I sure as hell don't know it. Everyone has been courteous and polite. People in the south seem genuinely kind and happy.
, and God bless America.
: Grammar Nazi has been a term around here even before Trump became prez. Thanks for the second laugh! 
