I think the problem is complicated.
I don't think anyone is saying every MDP Core 2 is shipping with a bad display. But there does seem to be enough of a problem (as evidenced in the photos folks posted in that Apple thread, and on MacRumors) that there's no harm in raising a red flag. Even more unsettling is that many of these consumers are returning to the Apple store only to discover that most, if not all, of the display models (at this point limited to 15" models) exhibit similar uneven display lighting. Sad, sad.
I think the other issue is how subjectivity and expectations play into this. In that Apple thread, there were some who posted that they looked at the pictures and saw no problem with the display. My off the cuff response is those folks need their eyes checked. But thinking it over, some consumers are completely oblivious to this, they just don't care, or they have other things to worry about. That's fine. But to me -- as someone who works in the design field -- an uneven display like that would be a dealbreaker, and I've used Apple all my life. As Apple moves into a broader market -- gobbling up PC users -- I think it's losing sight of it's initial (and perhaps more demanding) core community, the design market.
Sadly, I think this is indicative of most manufacturing today -- it's cheaper to make an average product because the majority of buyers don't have the time or gumption to pursue a replacement.
And that's my soapbox for the day.
PS -- check out this thread as well and take a peek at the image link near the bottom of the thread.
PPS -- I still plan to stick with Apple and buy Apple. I love it. But no harm in educating oneself about the possible issues with one's purchase
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=723534&tstart=0