Robert De Niro VS Michelle Obama

In recent news we have found that racism seems to still be a joke around the world.  We have a well known great actor Robert De Niro who thought it would be funny to say "Now do you really think our country is ready for a white first lady?" While hosting a benefit for President Barack Obama's reelection campaign in New York City on Monday night.  Now I can take a joke like anyone else and I am sure that is all he was meaning is for it to be a joke, but De Niro really...know your audience comic 101.  I mean we are in the year 2012 can we just let the racial barriers go. We have rich and poor blacks as we do white, Asians, Latins, etc.  Why is racism still a topic.  I thought after 911 people would be more grateful for life and not sweating the small stuff but I see that just isn't the case.  Its just a shame because every race has something to be proud about within their own community that we should be able to embrace upon others and "Live the Dream" as Dr. Martin Luther King would have wanted.