We have gone through cycles where the racists are unpopular enough to have to hide their intentions or “true feelings” behind convoluted rhetoric (red-lining housing, welfare and food stamp rules, or just blue lives matter, for instance), or just plain hiding (like the nighttime hooded gatherings).

We knew about them, but kept them marginalized. Now they are less marginalized, but also encouraged by a right wing nationalist Republican Party that has far too much of a chance of controlling the country in a few months.

The problem is that they are loud, and have majorities in places where their vote literally counts more. Low population red states especially (Wyoming, Idaho, Dakotas), and districts that have been gerrymandered around to weaken liberal democratic representation that overall outnumbers the racists, is seriously dangerous and un-democractic.