>> it's a scary topic. race is something a lot of whites don't want to deal with. it's hard enough to get through the day, so to put race on top of things really scares people who know nothing about it. >> in that study where you were saying white people don't feel ant race is important, they've not been oppressed by race. of course, it's a luxury that they get to have. and it doesn't affect them and we're talking about it too much. >> i do think there is white privilege that when you are white, a heterosexual and in the dominant culture, you just assume -- it's what i talked about last time. i grew up assuming the police were going to help me. like ponch and john and "c.h.i.p.s." were going to come in and everything was going to be great. whereas a lot of the african-americans we had on the panel laughed and the idea that they were there to help you is just not a notion that is intrinsic. >> it is incredibly uncomfortable. even for good people, to talk about race.