The Race Card

Many Republicans resent any reference to racism in politics. They do this in the belief that their party supported the Civil Rights Act (true) and that they personally are no more racist than most Democrats (true) and that Martin Luther King's dream of a society where people are judged by their character rather than by their skin color has been achieved (false). They can point to the election of a black President as proof. In short, more than 50% of white Americans think we've reached a colorblind status, more or less like Stephen Colbert's TV character. My guess is that these believers seldom interact with a black person, and the whole question is fairly abstract for them. They get upset at complaints against racism, which they see as "playing the race card" to get votes. (Of course, there is another sort of person who is simply a pro-lynching bigot.)

Less than 20% of black Americans believe we have achieved MLK's dream. For them--I am guessing--the question is not abstract. Instead people with black or brown skin see bits of racist behavior on a daily basis, maybe noticing that white people avoid sitting next to them on the bus. They know where they are wanted and where they feel out of place.