A little known fact is that Alderaan was a highly racist planet.

That's why Leia shows so much antagonism to...well, now that I think about it, just about everybody.

Tarkin apparently smells. Darth Vader "belongs on a leash". Lando, in spite of the fact that Han vouches for him, isn't deemed trustworthy. Chewbacca is consistently subjected to abuse. Yet she suddenly "loves" Luke when she finds out they're related, even after initially mocking his height - though maybe this is because Luke shares her views. He does, after all, show a touch of racism to poor old Yoda, assuming he couldn't possibly be a great warrior.

Is this the best female role model Lucas can come up with?

I suspect Star Wars would have ended up like this if Gary Kurtz hadn't been involved:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbEEQxtnkHE

And let's not even get started on the prequels.

I wonder what Lucas had to say after the first screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Probably thought it ended on a bit of a downer, what with the good guys losing and all.