Excellent article.I agree with pretty much every point you make execpt the following:

"I miss the days when it was considered poor form to discuss politics and religion. I feel if we kept those things to ourselves, we’d make far fewer enemies and feel far less anger and hatred toward our fellow humans."

It is this type of "sweppt under the rug " and "keepit to yourself" bigotry that needs and must be challenged and confronted. In fact, I would argue that it is this type of hidden hate and intolerance that is MORE DANGEROUS than overt racism.