The End Of Racial Discrimination?

In 2008 American presidential election has strongly drown whole national and world attentions. Starting from the foundation of this country, the former presidents were all white, but this time is an exception. Even though American constitution early defined that people were born equal in 1900s, the colored-people especially the black have suffered desperately long and hard struggles for real equality. Therefore, the writer of this thesis absolutely understands what Barack Obama might mean for the black people and other colored-people. It is not doubt his presidency is historic and significant in that a colored-person or black person has never been seriously regarded and elected as the high level leader of the country like this time.However, Barack Obama's Presidency is not the end of racial discrimination in the United States. There is nothing in his governing records to prove that he will be the last and final change agent that most colored-people are assuming he will be, and his rhetoric on race is used to reinforce widespread but misguiding beliefs that systemic racism has been eliminated. At the same time, it is necessary to argue that that Mr. Obama as the first black president just presents a feel good illusion that people want to embrace; the symbolic representation of racial equality or national healing that he provides is simply that—symbolic, not real. This does not equal the elimination of racial inequality. With long and rooted origins of racism, it is impossible to end the racial inequality and racial discrimination in this country. The forms of racism have been changed with development of society. Most words and behaviors associated with racial discrimination turn out to be more covert in new times. Therefore, there is no relation of cause and effect between Barack Obama's ascending to presidency and total equality realization of colored-people.Based on the theory of covert racism, given by Stokely Carmaichael & Stanley Hamilton, this thesis tends to explore the substance of Barack Obama as first black president in America and irrational enthusiasms of colored-people (especially the blacks). It also finally achieves a conclusion that the United States remains a racist, imperialistic, capitalist power that is intent on keeping its white dominance. Owning a black face in the white house as a president, alone, has nothing to do with the change of the structure of inequality in the country.