Ok, now can all the "white man keeping the black man down" rubbish go away?

It should make that sort of rubbish go away because people should think "If Obama can do it so can I" and change their attitude accordingly. It wont go away though, for three reasons, imo.

Firstly, just because this black man made it to the top (and others have made it to the top in their fields) doesn't mean it is any easier for the average man on the street.

Secondly, those sorts of attitudes do not change overnight, because they have been formed over a number of years/generations.

The third, and i think most significant reason, why this attitude will not go away (and this does not just apply to black people) is that if people see themselves as a victim they can abdicate responsibility for their current situation on to their perceived opressors - "It's not my fault I'm like this, its the system/white man/police/democrats/republicans/liberals/conservatives/illegal immigrants/muslims/christians/Americans/infidels/...(insert appropriate name/group here).

I guess what I am saying is that I believe there is some justification to most minorities grievances, but you will get further in life by dealing with it rather than whinging about it.