To the Journal editor:

Just because we don’t say the “N word” doesn’t mean we’re not racist. Here are some examples of what questions I was asked by patients:

(In Utah) Do blacks and whites have the same color of blood?

(In Oklahoma) My son got a heart transplant from Detroit. Do you think the heart was from a black person? It makes me sick to think of it.

(In Michigan) I know black people have lanolin-smelling and feeling hair.

And ignorance about black and white biology (and DNA) is rampant. Many of England’s Royal Family wondered if Prince Harry’s and Duchess Megan’s first baby (Archie) would be born dark. Well, a baby will not grow to be darker then his darker parent. Take a look at Megan’s skin color (her dad is white and her mom light brown).

Also, most black babies are born white and darken with age (to the occasional bewilderment of a black father).

Come on folks, read a book or two. Science isn’t dead.