Signs racist stereotypes still a problem

The plain fact that one of the two major political parties in America has nominated an Illinois man who identifies himself as black is a significant stride for a nation burdened with a history of racial strife.

But Democratic nominee Barack Obama, blacks, Hispanics and whites who wish for improved race relations must be wondering where we're really at here in Illinois.

Last week, civil rights groups asked Gov. Rod Blagojevich to stop state police from asking to search people's cars. They pointed to four years of data that show minorities' vehicles are searched more than whites.

The move to record data on such searches has provided fascinating information.

These so-called "consent searches" made up less than 1 percent of all searches last year, according to The Associated Press, but minorities were 10 percent more likely to be stopped than whites even though police were more likely to find drugs or guns in whites' vehicles than in minorities'. Drugs or guns were found in 24.6 percent of whites' vehicles as compared to 13 percent of minorities' vehicles.

That seems to indicate that race continues to be a motivating factor in the decision to pull over drivers.

Last year, black drivers were three times more likely to be asked to have their car searched and Hispanics nearly 2.5 times more likely than whites.

Yet, there is good news too. The number of consent searches fell overall by 17 percent. And the ratio of minorities to whites stopped dropped to its lowest level since 2004.

Meanwhile, here in the suburbs, comes word that a West Suburban realty firm is suspected of having directed minority buyers to certain neighborhoods and whites to other, more desirable ones three years ago. The firm now is owned by someone else and the agent accused of racism then denies the charge and has since moved to another agency. Still, the federal housing and justice suit grew from an undercover investigation by the National Fair Housing Alliance in which 12 cities were investigated. The group claims racial steering occurred 87 percent of the time and blacks and Hispanics were denied purchases 20 percent of the time.

We believe the evidence shows the data police now are required to record about traffic stops and searches clearly still is needed. It provides a useful, fair snapshot of race relations in some aspects of Illinois society as do the investigations by fair housing groups, though no one has been convicted of discrimination in that suburban case.

Obama's nomination might be a sign of hope, but it's only one. The housing and police studies remind us there still is much progress to be made in overcoming our racist stereotypes.