I concur, and I think it might be doing even more disservice as many will shortly be quick to say "Racism? Racism isn't a problem. We got rid of the Confederate flag."
By removing the visible signs of issues, you remove the easiest ways to talk about and educate others about the issue.
Exactly. No one really talks much about how biracial people are mistreated in the US, but it happens all too often (A couple close friends had to deal with it all their lives). And yet I've had people tell me "But Obama is President, so there can't be racism now." Pfft!
By removing the visible signs of issues, you remove the easiest ways to talk about and educate others about the issue.