"When President Obama was elected we optimists looked forward to a “post-racism” period in our history"

Hmm, does that mean that I'm a pessimist or a realist (acknowledging here that every pessimist considers themselves a realist)? I always considered myself as a "realistic optimist". When Obama was elected, it was clear to me that this wasn't the end of racism at all. My prediction was that the existing racism would become bolder and more open.