what white people mean when they say “America was united after 9/11”

Every year on September 11, I hear a lot of white Americans talk about how united the US was after September 11, 2001. I hear this on the news, on the radio, from people posting on social media, and in conversations.

This is my rough translation of what many of them actually are saying:

“I currently live and lived in a white bubble on September 11, 2001, before the days that digital cameras were widely used, before the days the internet made it easier to share digital images, before social media sites made it easier for those whose voices were often ignored, including many people of color, to be able to share their perspectives, where I don’t have to think about any other perspectives than my own. I lack empathy. I don’t see racism happening to people of color, and in my white bubble never see racism, so it’s easy to ignore anything I read from people of color about experiencing racism. I have no acquaintances or friends who are people of color, and most certainly none who I’ve made comfortable enough to share their experiences of racism. At best, they talk to me about weather and sports, or if I’m daring enough, I try their super exotic food. When they, especially anyone with skin tones darker than mine, talk about how much racism they’ve faced post 9/11, I gaslight them by saying ‘race has nothing to…