The End of Race Discrimination

That’s what some people, particularly whites, are saying.  And that’s what some people, particularly blacks, are worried about.  With Barack Obama’s nomination as one of the major party’s presidential candidate, whether he wins or not, the long struggle for racial equality has finally been won.  Or has it?  If it has, one would think that workplace race discrimination charges will take a nosedive pretty soon. 

This is a discussion all over America as the election proceeds at an increasingly fast speed, but it’s a discussion of considerable intensity among African-Americans.  Obama creates some of the intensity by rarely mentioning race discrimination while campaigning.  After all, he does hold himself out as a post-race candidate and someone who would be the first post-race president.  If elected president, it’ll be difficult for him to take a hard line on race discrimination and maintain the consensus he’ll need to govern effectively.

There’s no denying that African-Americans have made significant strides.  More blacks are educated with college degrees than ever before.  Poverty rates among blacks have steadily declined.  Indeed, census data shows that college-educated black women who work full time earn more than their white female counterparts.

But about 25% of blacks live below the poverty line, compared with eight percent of whites.  The median income of blacks is $30,200, compared with $48,800 for whites.  Most whites think that blacks have an equal chance of getting ahead in the workplace, but only 30% of blacks agreed.

Despite this historic election and the first ever possibility of a black being elected president, many African-Americans are concerned that still unaddressed racial issues will get lost in the shuffle.  Whites will just stop listening, because racial equality has finally arrived.

Blacks have reason to worry other than just the indifference of whites.  By 2050, the number of Hispanics will nearly triple, to 133 million from 47 million, and will account for 30% of Americans.  Asians will grow from 16 million to 41 million and make up nine percent of the population.  Blacks will increase in numbers from 41 million to 66 million, but that will be only a two percent increase in population from 13% to 15%.  If you’re adding these percentages, today’s minorities will become the majority as compared with whites.  Based on birth rates, increasing immigration, and other factors, some who focus on our changing demographics believe that all this will happen before 2050, maybe well before 2050. 

We’re not approaching the end of race discrimination, but we are approaching a time when the look of race discrimination will change.  For decades, race discrimination has been viewed as whites vs. blacks.  Before long, it will be viewed as Hispanics vs. blacks, Asians vs. blacks, Hispancis vs. Asians, Hispanics vs. whites, etc.  We’re approaching a time when whites will sue for race discrimination, because they’ll be in the minority.  Post-race America sounds good, but I’m not sure any race is ready for it.