The question gets asked multiple times by multiple people and an honest answer would be "Yes". But people try to wrap it around sweet words try to explain it out giving different reasoning or try to indicate that it is not in their country, but in other countries.
The fact is that it exists and it exists in all societies and in all countries. The degree varies and the explicitness varies. The superior attitude of the white people is a fact that cannot be ignored or written off. It manifests itself in various forms in various aspects of life; from day to day life to sports, to politics. There is no sphere of life where Racism ceases to exits. The strict legislature of equality ensures that it does not manifest openly but legislature cannot change the mindset of people, it can only suppress the expression of the thoughts.
The latest incident of arrest of Henry Gates by Sgt. James Crowley is an example which stands out to indicate that it will be centuries before this mindset, if at all, can be changed. There are various reports each giving different perspective as to why it might have happened. But none seem to admit that racism exists. The whites, even today, feel that a non-white skin means danger or scorn.
See
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jHud4VBSlwHX-0MPU8m15Yh9lE8gD99MH3381
http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/a-lot-said-and-unsaid-about-race/
It is a classic example of how the mind is conditioned to think based on the past experiences. It would have been interesting to have a recording of the conversation between the two people in this incidence and have different people interpret it.
In hindsight it is very easy to blame the people in the discussion and say they acted immaturely. But put on the spot one cannot predict how anyone would react.
Whatever said and done we cannot say that Racism does not exist, IT DOES EXIST.
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