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Originally Posted by PhiGam
Great post. Playing devil's advocate here I will say that I have met a lot of black people who do feel that they are being "held down" by institutional racism- how would you argue that they have a legitimate complaint here now that the most powerful man in the world- elected by a majority white population- is black?
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The fact that whites are asking this question highlights the salience of institutional racism. It's like these whites were waiting for something to relieve them of guilt or allow them to dismiss generations of inequality in an instant.
We have a legitimate complaint because there are still huge disparities in this society that aren't just about "lazy minorities who don't have a go get 'em attitude." The existence of blacks who reach a certain level simply means that there are instances where some blacks are seen as exceptions**, where a greater interest is served by allowing color barriers to weaken momentarily, or to create an image of progressiveness. Similar to what happens with gender, social class, and sexual orientation even when sexism and patriarchy, classism, and heterosexism are pervasive.
** White folks were the ones going on and on about Obama being biracial, educated, articulate, and elitist. Many whites needed these things so they could see Obama as "not just any black person/not your typical black man/he doesn't make me nervous/I voted for the white half."