More about my future brother-in-law, his family and this church to which he and my sister-in-law belong.

We know from Dilf's earlier comments that this guy is quite proud of his Trans Am bought at police auction. Hence the "Jesus Loves a Bitchin' T.A." reference. His father and brothers are similarly obsessed with machinery that moves -- cars, motorbikes, airplanes, whatever. They urged Dilf to get Ubergirl Elder out on a motorbike, something that would unite my mother-in-law the emergency room nurse and my mother the anxiety-ridden worrywart in a scheme to skin Dilf alive. Slowly.

Searching for common ground following the prayer supper-cum-bachelor party, my husband suggested they could ride go carts. There was a go cart track not far from the restaurant, in fact. "No," said one brother smugly, "They don't go fast enough for me." Thus ended the evening.

But a fascination with shiny moving objects is not offensive. Less benign was the discussion surrounding Gary, Indiana. For those not from my area of the world, Gary is an economically depressed city just east of Chicago with a high crime rate. African-Americans make up roughly 85 percent of the population.

The Evangelicals were discussing the plans for a third regional airport, noting that Gary would be the most logical location, but "those animals" wouldn't know what to do with it. Dilf was concerned; was that racist, considering the population? Or about criminals in general, since it was such a high-crime area?

It got worse. "Didja hear about the bathrooms in the high school there?" (still regarding Gary) "They put in new toilets, and they only lasted 15 minutes before 'those animals' tore them out of the wall! They had to install prison toilets!"

"That's just as well," continued the brother, "They'll probably all wind up there anyway." (Grunting, mirthless laughs from the Evangelicals.)

Dilf was horrified, but I think that whole network of people is very prejudiced. His sister once remarked to me that she thought "all black people looked alike."

"Really?" I said. "Denzel Washington and Dennis Rodman look alike? Vivaca Fox and Isabel Sanford look alike?"

"Well, no," his sister said, sheepishly. I think she expected me to nod in agreement and was surprised when I challenged her.

Please don't misunderstand; I am not accusing any large group of racism, Christian or otherwise. I think this group of people she hangs around with, who met at church and whose social activities are centered around church, are racist. That bothers both Dilf and me very, very much.