While most white people prefer Volvos to other automobiles, they prefer “light rail” to all known forms of transportation, with the possible exception of non-polluting clipper ships.
When white people are talking about the cost of gasoline, auto insurance, or vehicle pollution, the first one to say: “We need to build more light rail.” quickly assumes a dominant position within the group.
Few white people remember inter-urbans. There was once a network of electric trolley cars that connected most small towns in the eastern half of the United States. It is important to remember the inter-urbans if another white person says “We need more light rail.” before you do.
With a look of pitying disdain, the adept white person will then inject into the conversation, “We had light rail two generations ago. Powerful corporations destroyed it.”
White people love stories about big corporations destroying things, so that announcement should immediately be followed by a brief lecture about the wonders of the inexpensive, non-polluting inter-urban transportation system, and how it was dismantled by lobbying pressure from the “Big Three Automakers” after the war. The lecture can be ended with “and that’s what’s left us with the mess we’re in now.”
Few white people will have the sense to ask “Which war?”, but in case one does, it was WWII.
