One of the characteristics of "whiteness", or of being in the dominant group in the United States society, is the unexamination of our own racial privilege.  We, as White people (I am a White male) don't have to think about stereotypes or prejudice in the same ways that people of color or other minority groups do.  Often when we are confronted with our own stereotypes we feel uncomfortable, possibly bad about ourselves, and try to get away from these negative feelings as quick as possible.  At the same time, race --for whites too-- is a pervasive organizing principle in our society and the more that people who are White try to ignore race, the more we as White people fall into oppressing people of color.  And if our discomfort anything compared to the impact of stereotypes on people of color?  Instead of trying to adopt the "color-blind" race doesn't matter attitude, we should strive to understand how race does matter on multiple levels.  Our unexamination can lead to negative consequences for others . . . our friends, neighbors, loved ones . . . is that what we want?  
  Given the religious content of this blog, I also wonder the cost to our own spirituality and authentic relationship with others across difference . . . and doesn’t God over and over again cry out for those in power to examine the effects of their power and, god forbid, give some of it up for the benefit of the marginalized?  Maybe we as a Christian community should re-read the biblical prophets through the lens of God’s passion for justice . . . or maybe we would rather focus on the touchy feely good stuff of Christianity that may allow us to feel like we are good people in this world while we ignore our role in the suffering of others.  I should probably end this response before I really tell you how I really feel! 
  Even if you felt there was some blundering Kristin, thanks for putting some of your White experience out there.  We as White people are not going to be perfect, but hopefully by humbling examining our own whiteness we can become better racial allies to people of color (and other marginalized groups).

ps.  if you don't think that being White matters, check out the following website to see how whiteness and White culture are articulated . . . 
1.  Stuff White people Like (http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/)
2.  Stuff White people do (http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.com/)
3.  Black peopel love us (http://blackpeopleloveus.com/)