Your assessment is correct, however, the enfranchisement of social groups is just part of a larger perspective. We've gone overboard, as people are wont to do. We've been preaching in our schools for decades about "self esteem" with the result that we've produced generations of arrogant twits who are incapable of doing anything useful other than whining. Read Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation, then compare and contrast.

For what it's worth, my work with college students indicates that the trend might be reversing. There may be hope for us yet.

I would. Pick any time from the end of WWII to the early 1970s.

I assume you mean you respect those people, not necessarily their opinions. The fact that you do shows character. I wish I could share your optimism, but my knowledge of history and human nature dictates otherwise. We hit a zenith, and now we're sliding back into the dark ages, led by a moron who takes his marching orders directly from God. Hopefully the next zenith will be higher, if we don't nuke ourselves out of existence first.