How far have we come?

If you ask most American blacks how they feel about Mr. Obama, they are understandably proud. There is no doubt that Mr. Obama’s election has instilled a sense of “pride” that gives American blacks hope and inspiration. But if you ask blacks whether Mr. Obama’s election will reduce the foreclosure rate, or the racial economic gap, or put in place policies that will strengthen two-parent households, or reverse out-of-wedlock births, they say of course not. Daily life is not changing just because there is a black face in the White House. And in some ways, it may be getting worse.

I worry that Mr. Obama’s victory could undermine the push for equality by creating a sense of passivity among both black and white voters. I suspect that much of Mr. Obama’s crossover appeal resides in the fact that he seems safe to white voters. Like comedian Bill Cosby or former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Mr. Obama is the perfect American black faceplate to overcome latent biases — a homogenized black upper-class person who seems to carry around none of the anger or baggage for centuries of racial injustices.

Tellingly, it was recently disclosed that, in 2008, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) suggested that Mr. Obama’s success was due in part to his “light-skinned” appearance and ability to turn on/off his “Negro dialect.” Though there is no way to prove this, I suspect that this is the subliminal appeal to Mr. Obama’s presidential candidacy: He seems to represent the exception to every black stereotype.

By voting for Mr. Obama, the white voting populace was presented with a unique opportunity to vote for someone who evoked none of the black anger while at the same time offering atonement for centuries of racial inequality. With the pull of a lever, white America collectively congratulated itself for moving beyond its ugly past. At the same time, American blacks seem to be regarding the mere fact of a black face in the White House as some sign of fundamental change.

Both views are naïve. A lot of work needs to be done to root out the systemic racism that remains in our society. No one success story — no matter how inspiring — should distracts us from the racism that still exists and the continued self-destruction that takes place daily in the black community.

Williams can be heard nightly on Sirius/XM Power 169 from 9 to 10 p.m. EST.

Visit www.armstrongwilliams.com.