Race relations in the United States are rapidly deteriorating, according to a Pew Research Center/USA Today poll. Seventy-six percent of black respondents in 2009 said blacks and whites got along very well or pretty well. As of August 26, that number is down to 64 percent. That is a 12-point drop in just five years.

During the Ferguson riots, U.S. President Barack Obama stated, “We’ve made extraordinary progress” in race relations. Unfortunately, the facts contradict this assertion. Any “progress” has been in the wrong direction.

During then-Senator Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, many claimed he would be the first “post-racial president.” He was hailed as an inspirational leader who would heal America’s racist legacy. Prior to the election, 56 percent of Americans predicted race relations would improve under his presidency; this percentage increased to 70 percent the day after the election. Only 10 percent of Americans thought relations would get worse.

As noted by the recent Pew poll, race relations are not improving in America. The Ferguson riots clearly illustrate that tension and unrest are simmering under the surface.

For more on America’s race problems, read Trumpet columnist Brad Macdonald’s article “America: Why Race Riots Are Inevitable.”