One year since Obama's election, blacks are MORE pessimistic about race relations

Here's a Gallup graph displaying trends in the belief that problems between blacks and whites will eventually be worked out. The main thing that jumps out at me is that as blacks have made unprecedented gains--the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Voting Rights Act of 1965; the implementation and institutionalization of affirmative action programs; the rise of the black middle class; the dramatic decline in white racism; enhanced penalties for hates crimes; a black President--the belief among blacks that they will finally get a fair shake in America has tended to decline. Perversely, progress has bred pessimism.

I wish I could say I was surprised that black faith in the system dropped 8 points (from 50 to 42 percent) since President Obama was elected. My guess is that most blacks identify very strongly with Obama. His success is their success, and when they see angry whites at tea parties and town hall meetings, they interpret it as hate directed toward them. And why wouldn't you believe the worst when whites like Jimmy Carter tell you that you are right? If race gets ugly at some point (I should say uglier) in the future--and God knows I hope it doesn't go that way--people like Jimmy Carter will have blood on their hands.  The reality is racial goodwill, but blinded by their hatred of white conservatives, all they see is racism.

Turning to another graph, I was a bit surprised how many Americans--black and white--feel that racism against whites is widespread. Forty-six percent of whites and an impressive 39 percent of blacks feel that way, and both estimates are up from last year. I'm not sure what blacks are thinking of--perhaps they know blacks who do not like whites--but I imagine whites are thinking of affirmative action. Believing that anti-white racism is prevalent has got to make many whites angry. It's no secret that injustice sets people off.  If Republicans had two brain cells, they would make more of this issue.