Playing the race card?

In light of the conviction of the thoroughly bent copper, and former president of the National Black Police Association, Ali Dizaei, are we about to see the Metropolitan Police enter a "post-post-Macpherson" era?

For the last decade, the Met seems to have been walking on eggshells when it comes to the race issue, and Ali Dizaei was someone who quite evidently played the race card for all it was worth which let him get away with so much for so long.

Of course, there were many who accepted his claims of unfair treatment. Some, like Sunny Hundal on his Pickled Politics website, also said that he was subject of a smear campaign, although it looks likely now that many of the things he was accused of doing were likely true.

The level of corruption and abuse of power by Dizaei over so many years though does raise an important question. Would he have got away with so much for so long if he had been white? Is there a limit to the use of the race card?

It;s a difficult question, as it's possible that someone could be the genuine victim of racism and thus be justified to say so, but at the same time, how should situations where it is being played disingenuously be dealt with?

Feel free to chip in with your views.