He speaks out against racial hatred, supression, and bigotry. He protests for equal rights for everyone. Yet he has no problem saying that he is African-American. Why when the university system of Califoria announced that it was doing away with affirmative action programs, was he one of the first to speak out against it. On one hand he wants equal treatment for all, but on the other hand, he still wants preferential consideration, based on race, for someone who may not meet the standards of admission for the university.
People are imperfect.
Societies are imperfect. At one point in American history, slavery was an accepted societal norm. When society as a whole decided that this was no longer an acceptable norm, war ensued and change came about. At one point in American history, it was an acceptable norm for almost everyone to carry a sidearm, and for disputes to be settled between the agrieved parties. As society progressed, and law enforcement advanced, this too changed.