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PDFAn interesting read from Time:
Obama is dealing with one of the challenges that befall many successful blacks. Racism doesn’t end when you become successful; you just encounter different strains. But when your position in life seems to be evidence that racism can’t hold everyone back, then it becomes nearly impossible to call out the racism you encounter. Especially in workplaces that you want to remain in: you may hit the glass ceiling, but you cannot speak of racism. It’s a chess piece you can never move. Even if you’re right, it’s ultimately anti-pragmatic and counterproductive. White people hate being called racist, — for many, it’s one of their biggest fears in life — so pointing it out rarely helps you get what you want. It often does little more than end the conversation. Successful women have experienced the same thing: even when they encounter sexism, they cannot crow about it. Obama knows he cannot publicly attack racism the way a black leader would, which is part of why he’s in the Oval Office. He cannot overtly lead on issues of race because that would compromise his ability to lead in every other area, and it would confuse the issue for many who wrongly think he’s a harbinger of the end of racism.
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