Is Mormon "racism" real or imagined?

There's some discussion floating through the ether (see, for example, darronsmith.com) about whether the Church ought to clarify its doctrine towards blacks (or more strongly, apologise for it). The basic idea is that although it has been 25 years since the priesthood ban on blacks was lifted, the Church has done little to repudiate past teachings. The continued printing of McConkie's Mormon Doctrine is taken as evidence of the persistence of a racist Mormon folklore. Although McConkie's book is not officially sanctioned by the Church it still supplies guidance to many members who find within its pages ideas such as: - the superiority of whites - dark skin as a curse from God - the value of caste systems and racial segregation - the descent of all blacks from Cain and Ham - the condemnation of interracial marriage I do not wish to explore territory already well-trodden (both here at UB and at DMI, for example), nor discuss the wisdom of making requests for action to the Brethren. What interests me are people's experience with racial folklore. It is assumed by many that when asked "why was there a ban on blacks holding the Priesthood", most members (despite no official teaching on the matter) will reach for such notions as the curse of Cain/Ham and the alleged neutrality of blacks in the War on Heaven. So my question is, how would the average Latter-day Saint explain the Priesthood ban? From my experience growing up in the Church in England Britain, the consensus would be that a) there was a curse, and b) less than valiant spirits (blacks) inherited the curse. IF my experience is typical, then there may be a problem. If not, then Mormon racism is perhaps more imagined than real. Interestingly, although these were the ideas that were shared with me during my LDS upbringing, I don't think that the members of the Church in the UK are racist. Quite the contrary. There seems to be a disconnect there: on the one hand racist folklore was around, but no-one was (in practical terms) actually racist, which is why I resist suggestions that Mormons are (as a whole) racist. Compared with the overwhelmingly white community which was my home, Mormons were actually far more enlightened. But I'm not black, so I may not have noticed anything to the contrary. Anyway, please consider my question: how would the average member explain the ban? (And you, dear reader, are not the average member!)