[uberdru]

My read is that your statement is incorrect, in that they were not simply 'acting like racists'. Instead, they were instituting racially motivated policies to combat the advances of the civil rights movement through the '60s. Plus ca change.

[throwaway0a5e]

Isn't that exactly how you'd expect racists to act?

[tolbish]

The difference is that racism is not a secondary motivator. Racism would be baked into the desire for power, as it would then be a desire to instill white supremacy.

[jhgb]

Why couldn't racism be either primary or secondary motivator for something?

[tolbish]

It absolutely can be. It just is not in this case. They were not merely "acting like racists". I hope this distinction helps.

[jhgb]

The present simple "is not" seemed to be a general statement to me (but that just may be my L2 English).