In the past week or so things have come across my desk either supporting or denying President Obama's position as the savior for Black people.

There seems to be a thread running through the popular media, and perhaps the popular consciousness, that Obama's election reflects a pinnacle for African-Americans.

What the President's election represents, one thing anyway, is a definitive blow to racist theory that African-American's are not capable enough to succeed in a high-level position. Having a Black man in the White House does not by any stretch of the imagination mean that Black people no longer have to struggle for parity. The fight as not been won, as evidenced by yesterday's Facebook message from former South Carolina Election Commission Chairman Rusty DePass, likening the First Lady to a gorilla in response to a story about a gorilla that escaped from Riverbank Zoo in Columbia, S.C.

DePass posted the following on Facebook: "I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors--probably harmless."

Of course later when the uproar ensued he claimed that it was just a joke, but I think a reasonable mind would assume that's a lie. He is an adult and one might assume is the state of South Carolina saw fit to elect him to a government position at some point he's reasonably rational. Thus, he knew his comments were not only over the line, but were potential fodder for that 'round-the-world media blitz that anything associated with the First Family gets.

There are no absolutes. No one and no group is all bad or all good, and one silly comment doesn't mean the world's full of racists. But if Obama was the end of the line and Blacks had truly arrived, DePass wouldn't have said what he did.

But the more important message here is not that this kind of thing is still very much a part of the every day Black experience, still very much a part of many non-minority thought processes, conversations and actions. The most important message is that this type of battle, for respect, is only one piece of the war being waged.

The real battle is for economic parity. When minorities win that battle, and are able to economically, socially and confidently-in-the-world-of-business play on a level field, then, THEN, we can say we've reached the pinnacle. Then we can lay down our weapons and take a deep, deep breath and close our eyes for a second of rest.

Until then, diversity executives, don't be distracted by nonsense. Shine your battle armor and watch for blindsides.

Thoughts?