I almost liked this a lot. But, come on—feeling sorry for what white people did and do, there’s no harm in it. A little bit (or a lot, even) of guilt and shame never hurt anyone. Just because it might spark a superego spiral is no reason not to go there.

And looking stupid while you squirm well, that just comes with the territory. You can’t do this part beautifully. It’s called actual real conscience.

Also, I’m not sure the “père” (of whatever kind) is implicitly pire-in-waiting. Even if it is, it’s being nice and irritating and oedipal for now, and that’s good enough for me, as a survivor of a pire of a father like you wouldn’t believe.