I read this piece about a week ago and finally decided to engage. Not only is land-use and urban planning (the built environment) my passion, I’ve been working in the field for 40+ years.

I’ve also worked on land-use/planning in two former British colonies (now independent countries). Just like America in 1776, these former colonies reached independence with British systems and institutions in place. However, unlike America in 1776, these colonies had the 200 year old American experiment to learn from, and inform their choices and decisions. The ones that succeeded threw colonial racism, classism, sexism, paternalism etc. away and built systems that offered everyone a level playing field.

Shetterly is confusing racist people with systemic racism. As I said, what goes in, must come out. Our land-use and urban planning systems are racist, because racists designed them. It really is that simple.

Trouble is, too many Americans are taking these discussions personally. I don’t know about anybody else, but I want a level playing field. The way I figure it, if we have a level playing field, we can all choose our own directions. The only way to get a level playing field, is to dig the roots of racism out of our systems.

Clearly, we have a whole lot of work ahead of us. If more people doing the work started writing on Medium, maybe people would stop talking and start asking how they can help get all this work done?

That said, Shetterly is just talking. He isn’t doing any work.

Talk won’t stop change, because change is made by people who do the work.