Oh, I got what you were saying and you did a nice job but I would place that behavior squarely with those not conscious or even an inbetween mode, between a unicameral (consciously integrated mind) and a non introspective bicameral, (not at all or completely aware of self): "mechanism may be at play in some form in adults until it is overridden by rational thought."; Laughing...no one ever accused the left of "rational thought!
Race was always a progressive invention. I still assert Race would have to denote dramatic differences. Our ancestors would have considered the fallen idiots and the Nephilim as a different racial biped species...and it is true that they are not a human species.

You're missing my point and making it far more complex than it needs to be. My point is the natural notice of something different or unfamiliar and often the aversion to it until rational thought takes over and calms or eradicates the aversion (I used the word "often" here because differences can also pique curiosity rather than aversion). Additionally, there seems to be a natural gravitation or trust towards likeness. This trait is very noticeable in young children as they run to mom or dad when a stranger enters the room and, as I said above, it may be linked to some kind of built in survival mechanism. That same mechanism may be at play in some form in adults until it is overridden by rational thought. Systemic racism may simply be a noticing of "different" and all us humans have the trait. The important thing is how our rational minds handle the differences.

Going down the side road you took, thinking about your examples how about this: is a Black Lab a different race from a Grey Wolf? Maybe, right? Different races are not different species like lizards and rabbits. Your Black/Golden Lab example only points out that a blonde Caucasian is the same race as a red head Caucasian or a brunette Caucasian. Without having to write a book on it my belief is humans on this planet are special. We may have differences, but we're all special.

First off, the mechanism you describe would only come from Bicameral's...non cooperation between both sides of the brain and primarily using one side only...the sporadic intrusion of the other side would be SPOOKY!...But really, let's examine the idea of "Race". To be of a different race, there would have to be dramatic differences like a lizard and a rabbit. Also, think about this; is a Black Lab a different race from a Golden? No, right?...
I think, enough said, on that score.

You could be on to something. Our immune systems help our bodies to survive by differentiating "self" from "other" and killing "other".

I agree with the article in that people a re hiding in groups so as not take individual responsibility. This fight is simply the individual versus the collective. Their actions and words want to move backwards to before the axial age when communities were tribes against each other.

Couldn't systemic racism be a natural part of all of us humans? That is, could it be tied to our built in survival mechanism that hesitates in automatically accepting something different from ourselves or outside our familiar parameters? Different family? Different tribe? Different type of human (race)? At the same time automatically accept the familiar? Same family? Same tribe? Same race?

Now, enter free will or agency of thought to examine the differences and evaluate whether or not those differences have an impact (or should have an impact) on our lives going forward. What about if the free will decision making gets tainted through some experience?

Yeah, I'm just thinking out loud here, but it seems to me there is something basic at work here and it's been with us long before there was us.

[]"Man “lives between good and evil” and that he “fulfills his destiny in the choices he makes.” “The power to make choices, this innate freedom lies at the center of the drama of human existence.”

Browsing through history, we would observe how Civilization and society have changed, evolved for the better but under the face of that change, that evolution...there are still many things that haven't changed and until we can deal with those that deny us agency, those that have existed throughout history...that change, that evolution might never become permanent.
Forever: The Fight for Conscious Human Life©