Before I proceed to reading rest of the article, I must tell you Ive lost at least three friends of decades to racism pro genocidal leanings!
It was a little death.
Looking back, I failed to see that I was not regarded as a worthy person, but a paper cutout of a trophy. Much like white hunters gloat over a lion kill. I was the exotica. But smart, good looking, and horrors! Spoke perfect English. They were not friends. I was patronized wined and dined. It was reciprocal. It was ok that I am a Muslim woman, artist. Poet. Etc etc.
Then Trump came along. They all voted for him. His doctrine was all consuming. Three decades of closeness gone.
Similar experience with an Israeli friend at university of Chicago. Lovely lady. One evening I heard loud slogans. A bunch of Jewish students were chanting, death to Palestinians! Muslims are etc etc. rest was in Hebrew. She was leading the chanting! Later I discovered the difference between Jews and Zionists.