Crypto-racism from the left is a problem, but in fairness the legacy of slavery and civil rights abridgement is
much more recent here in the US than it is in European countries. Slavery hasn't been institutionalized to the same degree in mainland Europe as it was in the US since Roman times - of course it wasn't absent because of colonialism, but nor was it ever so prevalent as to dominate local economies the way it did in the US. Class, gender, and property ownership were greater legal barriers to suffrage in most European countries than ethnic origin, and over a much longer timeframe - the Third Reich being the major exception to this trend.
By contrast, in the US you had people systematically excluded from exercising the vote within the last 50 years, which is comparatively recent. I think the politicization of race has resulted in a great many misconceptions all across the political spectrum, but that doesn't mean you can just pay it some lip service and call the problem solved.
I can find you equally obnoxious casual racism from the right, or you could just read the comments on American newspaper articles. I read a story this morning about some tourists visiting Chicago's Willis Tower who were frightened by superficial-but-not-obviously-so cracks in the building's observation deck, which is famous for having a glass floor. More than half the comments on the article consisted of suggestions that the tourists in question being Latinos from California, the cracks must have been caused by weapons in their pockets. WTF.
By contrast, in the US you had people systematically excluded from exercising the vote within the last 50 years, which is comparatively recent. I think the politicization of race has resulted in a great many misconceptions all across the political spectrum, but that doesn't mean you can just pay it some lip service and call the problem solved.
I can find you equally obnoxious casual racism from the right, or you could just read the comments on American newspaper articles. I read a story this morning about some tourists visiting Chicago's Willis Tower who were frightened by superficial-but-not-obviously-so cracks in the building's observation deck, which is famous for having a glass floor. More than half the comments on the article consisted of suggestions that the tourists in question being Latinos from California, the cracks must have been caused by weapons in their pockets. WTF.