Racism may be an outdated 'idea', but in practice and many people's daily lives, it is reality. The American society is built on systemized racism (colonialism and slavery), and the existence and lack thereof of privilege within different groups of people is a direct result of this, and it needs to be changed, because the playing field is not level. Recommended reading:

http://www.timwise.org/2014/12/we-dont-need-nice-we-need-jus...

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/thorncoyle/2014/11/an-open-lett...