I’m sorry if you took away an attempt on my part to create a moral equivalency between Eckert’s ordeal & systemic racism. Nor am I trying to nullify Dr Harper’s account. But I did want readers to know that this kind of abuse happens all the time, to all kinds of people, & in degrees far more intrusive than Dr Harper's patient experienced.

Is the unquestioned persistence of systemic racism reason we’re not allowed to discuss these things happening to people who aren’t Black? As Dr Harper wrote: “I wanted so badly, when I entered the triage area, to see Black officers and a white prisoner….” So it was. And, honestly, I don’t think it was clear from the essay that police would have treated a white suspect any different.