What the Heck Is "Post Racial?"

I happened upon one of those TV shows where they build a house from the ground up. They introduced the architects, designers, plumbers and construction boss. Everyone was White. Sigh. I notice things like that. I go to movies and look for diversity. I've been known to not watch popular TV shows because everyone is White, straight or without disabilities (Friends, anyone?). Look for yourself. Turn on TV and examine network series. See how far we haven't come. And when the cast is diverse, usually the non-White characters are in supporting roles. 

Since Barak Obama was elected President, I've heard we're living in a "post racial" society. I think that's supposed to mean race is no longer something we need to pay attention to. It means that not only are we the most diverse country in the world but we're the most fairly diverse country. Now that we have a Black President anyone of any race can be whatever they want, so they say. Really? No, I mean, really?

If that's the case, why can't a person of color talk about how race affected something without being accused of "playing the race card?" Why is there exactly one Black senator in the U.S. Congress? How many CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are Black? (Hint, it's less than the number of your fingers.) Presidents of universities that aren't Historically Black? Shall I continue?

Perhaps it's true the younger generation looks at race without the biases of their parents. But culture, beliefs and practices are passed down from parents to children. Very often, so are racial biases. So although I'm willing to listen to "our kids are different" I'm not buying it completely. However let's assume for a moment it is true. If we are over race, one would think we would be able to talk about racial issues like we do, oh say cancer or money or sexual dysfunction...things that used to make us uncomfortable but no longer do because we are "over" them. But most commonly, Blacks and Whites can't talk about race. Most Whites deny racial profiling exists even though there is ample evidence to show it happens. (One honest former cop I know said simply, "Of course we profiled!") Most Whites blame the lack  of top-level Blacks to individual factors. Most Whites refuse to acknowledge that in study after study, when all else is equal: Blacks are granted fewer mortgages, are offered fewer interviews if  their names sound Black, are falsely told apartments are unavailable when they are available, are given longer sentences for crimes than are White criminals. 

Even if we are individually less racially biased, our institutions sustain a system that favors Whites over Blacks. If we want to be post racial we will change our institutions so everyone will have equal opportunities for success and the structural racism in our systems that supports discrimination, profiling and other racially based impediments is eliminated. As a country we have made tremendous progress, there is no doubt about that. But the success of a few people, be it Oprah, Obama or Jordan is just that...the success of a few. When we have so many CEOs, presidents and millionaires of color that we can't remember their names, then you'll have a good argument for the U.S. being post racial. Until then I'll be the one, sitting in the corner of the movie theatre, counting.