"I don't see color. I was raised to treat everyone equal, Jane Elliott doesn't know what saying"

[Solly Mack]

25. To deny seeing color is to deny that person's experience.

A black person's experience of America hasn't been the same as a white person's experience of America. To pretend otherwise to pretend racism doesn't exist. It means pretending you don't know the damage racism has caused.

Said older white male from the OP very well may not have any bias but his not having any in no way changes how black people are perceived by others or are treated by others. Simply saying, for example, that he's always treated people fairly doesn't change racism at large.

If talking about race is uncomfortable then I submit it needs to be talked about more, not less. If there is discomfort, it's there for a reason. That said - white people have to be prepared to hear that what they think about race could be all wrong. How they see things is probably not how they truly are for people of color. They have to be prepared to listen - listen - and not constantly defend their own actions as being not racist. Because racism still exist, even if a white person isn't themselves a racist.

All critical race theory states is - in simple terms - a system set up by white people, its laws, its norms, its beliefs will favor those who put those laws, norms, and beliefs into place. The dominant cultural - white, (Christian, male) - will try and force others to either adhere to how they say everyone should behave, what they believe, what rights they should have etc.. or they will create social tiers (to include laws and separate/special rights) to keep those seen as undesirable/different/the other down.

White supremacy breeds white privilege. How could it not? If you believe that being white makes you better, and if whites control the cultural, legal, and social structures of a society, then favor/privilege will always go to those with white skin.

Someone waking up to the damage of racism doesn't change centuries of racism. Doesn't wipe out how racism permeates all aspect of a society - its laws, its customs, its norms, its institutions, etc..

It takes conscious effort to change that. That requires talking about it.