Have perceptions changed for better or worse post-Obama, as they relate to the African-American community?
Well, before Obama one could clearly say that racial perceptions had changed for the better over the past 50 years. It used to be when people did polling about racial attitudes, they would ask, “Would you be comfortable living next door to a person who is African-American?” “Do you think it is okay to deny people jobs based on their race and ethnicity?” They asked these questions because people had differing opinions on those questions. Those questions have actually been dropped from the polling. You don’t even ask that anymore, even if people believe it. It would almost be an embarrassing position to take. We have more interracial marriages, people are more comfortable in the presence of people who are different. … We aren’t saying there are no problems, they just aren’t as in your face as they were at one time. There have been some really high-profile African-Americans that have sent a signal that African-Americans can do any job, the same has been true for Latinos and Asians. When y
