Does anyone believe that there is a real problem with OPEN racism in the United States?

Yes. Unfortunately racism is still a fact of life in many areas. I think people are more "introverted" with their racism than in the past, but it still shows. Unfortunately, until we as a nation do away with labels of race, and just call ourselves Americans, then we will probably continue to see it. (Honestly, even that would only do a small amount).

Racism and discrimination is a learns trait.
Ether from upbringing or from what we learn in life from personal experience.

I see a bigger problem with reverse racism and that being the cause of racism.
If we stopped that the rates would drop quickly.

Psh...yeah, there is.

Racial stereotypes abound in the entertainment media, in the sports arenas, and in the schoolyards. I grew up hearing racial epithets of all kinds, mainly about non-Anglo ethnic groups, and people expected me to agree simply because I'm white...

It is alive and well in the "real world."

Being a retired sheriffs deputy, I can sleek from the stand point of police work. Unfortunately in law enforcement there are some officers that are blatant racists, I'm not just talking about whites, but Hispanic racists, black racists and racists of any kind and type you can imagine. Although most law enforcement officers do there jobs by the letter of the law with no discrimination, there are some that are blatant racist. I have seen this both as a deputy sheriff and been the victim of it after being in an off duty altercation where the suspects and the responding deputies were all Hispanic. I was treated with extreme bias or racism because I was white. The suspects were thug civilians and the deputies could care less that I was a Sgt deputy sheriff from the next county. It was a slam dunk case of assault against me and my wife and only my friends mr smith and Wesson ended the assault. No charges were ever filed, and I was basically blown off by the Hispanic deputies. So to answer your question Budddy, Hell Yes racism is very rampant in the United States, and the more refugees or illegals that come to this country the worse it will get. Anyone that tells you different is very naive or just plane out of touch with reality...

Yes, it is very unfortunate that it still exists. I grew up in North Georgia and when my family arrived there we were the only non-white family in that area. It was rough growing up there. My family was constantly harassed and attacked. My family and friends were constantly chased by a group of young men and adults trying to attack us. Even today it is still exists although it's not as open like it was in the past. They are more subtle in doing their racist acts. We as a nation are divided and as long as we continue to be divided we will continue to experience these events. 

SSG Ike Phelan, yes. It's called affirmative action.

Here's a related example: http://downtrend.com/vsaxena/bonus-sat-points-for-being-black

Of Course there is and there will always be a problem with racism no matter what we do. It does not make any difference what color, race, nationality or religion you are or where you came from. Whether you are male or female, or in between, we will always have a problem with racism because we are all human beings and it starts right at home, the way we all grew up. I grew up in the 50s and 60s and I've experienced racism because I was a white Franco-American and the Irish population in our Town called us "stupid Frenchmen." The Jewish population in our town caught most of the flack and if you were colored, then they didn't stand a chance at all. Hell, when I enlisted into the Marine Corps in 1968, and went to Boot Camp at Parris Island, racism was all over the place. Between other boots and the DIs were always using racist slurs for all of us. It seemed to never stop. Once out of Boot Camp, it even got worse depending where we were. While in Vietnam, as long as we were in the field, racism between the whites and colored seemed to stop but once we were in the rear, it started up all over again. Hell, at one time in Nam it got so bad that while our Company was on a three day in Country R&R at China Beach, they took all of our weapons because of the racism problem. After I was Discharged and became a State Trooper, racism continued especially because we had an all white State Police Force. I had two Military Bases in my patrol and I can not begin to tell you how many times I had that "racism card" pulled on me because I stopped a Hispanic or Colored violator. I really got a taste of racism while I was at the FBI National Academy in Quantico. I was always called a Yankee and the Southerners seem to hate us because we were from the North. Remember, these were all Cops, Police Managers, and it didn't make any difference. Racism was alive and well and it did not make any difference who you were. Like I said at the beginning, all of this racism bull shit started while we were young, in our homes. It was what we heard and learned as we grew up. We are all a product of our own environment. And today, our morals and values have changed drastically and it seems that people do not know how to respect and appreciate one another and until we do, this problem will escalate. So don't kid yourself, racism in the United States is alive and will continue until we, the American people, start treating each other with respect and dignity. Just my 2 cents! SF!

As long as we continue to have organizations and people with a vested interest (money) in propagating racism there will continue to be racism. It’s a great form of control. Any group can be targeted when necessary. All groups will feel threatened, separate or weak.

When deals are handed out to any particular group it’s not because they are loved so much or deserve something more than others, it’s because those that had out the deals want something in return.

Nothing is free nor should it be. Always watch for those handing out free candy, it’s always tainted.

I remember having racism against me because I was white. When Roots came out in my Jr High year I had to duck and hide for a long time to keep from being beat up. I was taking the blame for the Slave Trade era. Sad, but true. Life sucked for a few months.

Yes?
I remember going on funeral details into northern south Carolina and seeing dumpsters that said "deposit niggers,kikes,and spics here". My team had two out of three. There were gas stations that did the absolute minimum to get you fueled and out of their town, don't bother asking for directions. I've been pulled over by the border patrol and pulled out of my vehicle for twenty minutes while they checked my citizenship( my military id, Florida dl, social security card, wasn't good enough) and questioned my Caucasian wife about whether she was with me consensually. I've mentioned in another thread about an NCO I felt was racist, if I had known better at the time I would have filed a complaint against her, in the civilian world I would have sued. That's how certain I am.
Is it better? Yes. Is it fixed? I think recent events show otherwise.
Reverse racism is becoming a problem too. One that doesn't help. I'm sure someone will bring it up as I type this. It can't be discounted. Is it as institutional or ingrained? No. But it could be. I'll let someone else talk about it, I can only relate my experience.
Now politics, I'm rather new at commenting here, I've tried my best to stick to single issue topics and leave my politics at the door. If I hit the right I try to hit left. Here come the hits.
In my humble opinion...
The far "check your privilege" left needs to stop dropping whole decks of "ism" cards on every problem. It shuts down discussion and progress and breeds resentment, not just in the far right, but in moderates and more than a few sane lefties. Not every incident in America is another example of an "ism" and you shouldn't make up a new "ism" just because you couldn't find one that fit. No rightist president has succeeded in turning the world to ash, but a few leftists seem to have been involved with some world wars.

The far right needs to come to terms with certain xenophobic tendencies within its ranks. Muslim immigrants aren't here to impose sharia law on you, but if two Muslims want to create a contract using sharia law and an imam to arbitrate any possible breaches, it isn't any more a hostile takeover of this country than me insisting on a clause in my employment contract requiring my payment to be delivered in the form of twinkies and ho-hos instead of direct deposit and any breaches to be arbitrated by a retired two star. People asking for the same rights don't actually take those rights away from you. Same sex marriage doesn't eliminate traditional marriage. Migration has not historically changed the character of this country. No leftist president has switched us to communism and probably never will.

That's my two cents, in the old copper pennies, it's worth more.
I can only hope the votes cancel out.