[matt4077]

See the other comments for the real, benign, explanation.

This also seems to be a good occasion to encourage people to work from an assumption of good faith.

It's especially fitting considering this is the New York Times, a publication that, even if it were racist (which it is not), would probably be smart enough not to let it shine through in the most obvious way possible.

[nxc18]

Thank you for this. Apologies for the bad assumption.

[matt4077]

And thank you for your willingness to consider criticism. Sorry if the tone of slightly on the snarky side–I've become somewhat cynical trying to defend the basic decency of most people working in "the media".