Since you asked, I think that most of these folks and the apologists have something in common. I call it the "In the Heat of the Night" syndrome. If you remember the film, by that name, it was about a Black New York Cop named Tibbs, who got involved with solving a murder in "The South," during the late 1960's. Every character in the film is a stereotype. That tells the story of how many people of that era saw Black people and racists, as stereotypes.
My Mother, who was half Penobscot was the biggest racist I ever met. When my Sister married a Hawaiian, my Mother said she hoped all her babies were stillborn. She hated herself for what she thought the world thought about "Half Breeds." So, she hated all non-white people. She married a red-headed, white skinned guy so that her kids would "look White." I grew up with low self-esteem on display every day. I grew up with inappropriate stereotypes keeping people "in their place." The "Hollywood Elites," have no idea to what extent their stereotyping affected real peoples' real lives. But, these guys have lived it their entire lives. So, when populists look for people to recruit, they know who is waiting to get revenge for decades of abuse..
