Leland,

all in an atmosphere of an integrated, accepting society, it would be hard for racism to take root.

Christians and Muslims lived side-by-side and kids played together before the Ethnic Cleansing began in Bosnia. And weren't caucasians beaten up after the Rodney King cop acquitals because they were the same color as the cops? A cynic might conclude that racialist tension still lurks close below the surface...

This was the America of only 50 years ago, so I think to a very great extent, racism is learned at a very, very early age, where the target of racism has been excluded.

History shows that the fat cats always try to exclude the underprivileged masses. Today US citizens criticize Mexicans for crossing the border to earn $ in menial labor to try to make a better life for their families. This is seen as a moral stance by some here. But in 50 years, perhaps we'll have a disapproving 'ism to describe that sort of behavior that will seem little different from previous waves of discrimination.