Has Obama's Presidency Increased Racism?

Yes, say many Americans

Image: AP

You might think electing Obama, America's first black president, would've helped put racism to bed. But most Americans think his election has had the opposite effect. According to a Newsweek poll:

Only 32 percent of Americans now think that race relations have improved since the president's inauguration; roughly the same number (30 percent) believe they have gotten worse. Factor in those who say nothing has changed and the result is staggering: nearly 60 percent of Americans are now convinced that race relations have either deteriorated or stagnated under Obama.

Half of the white Americans polled blame Obama himself, claiming that his actions have fueled the racial divide. But Newsweek says they're wrong - "it's not him, it's us." They suggest he's merely a lightning rod for a centuries-long history of racial antagonism that isn't going to vanish overnight.

What do you think - has racism gotten worse under Obama? And is he to blame?

[ericf]

Stupid people often make ideological differences personal. Stupid people who hate Obama will tend to blur their opposition to his policies until it becomes opposition to him as a person. It was even easier to see with Sarah Palin; her opponents often hated her so deeply that they never even got around to remonstrating against her policies. Reminds me of the one-minute-hate from 1984...

[AMadMadWorld]

The people who believe Obama is responsible for increased racism are hearing that opinion from Hannity, Beck, and others who are happy to speak any lie that gets them what they want. And I'm not sure racism has increased, it's more that racists don't feel any need to censor themselves or speak in dog whistles, so the racism comes out all over the place.

[BigPoppaPhat]

I think its the media that's making everything a racist issue. Obama putting his two cents in and encouraging it isn't helping the problem.

[ir0nw0lfe]

Most divisive president in history. Seems to jump to conclusions without the facts. Anyone remember the Harvard Professor incident that led to a round of beers at the White House as an apology?