 America is exceptional in its racism. People of color know this all too well, but too many white people like me still don't get it. Our whole way of life has been framed by white privilege and white supremacy. We have political, cultural, and even theological ways of remaining oblivious. Those who conceal their sins won't prosper, the Bible says, but those who confess and renounce them find mercy. When white Americans affirm that black lives matter, we are taking a first step toward healing.