But, to push your metaphor, when there’s no catalyst, there’s no reaction - the starting chemicals remain inert. So while yes, there is always the potential lying there to activate the hate - it can go dormant. People can once more be taught racism is bad and yes you should be ashamed to say those racist tropes out loud, you should be ashamed to discriminate. You should be ashamed to bully other because they are different and yes you should be ashamed to tell lies about people to make others hate.

Maybe it will never go, but we can keep it inert and isolated - not volitive and out of control THAT was Trump’s doing - not yours not mine and not America’s. He drew out the poison and spat it in the faces of Americans…
Reading the rest of your post though, I fully agree. The ground has been prepared for Trump since Nixon’s Southern Strategy.