Honestly in the NE I think it's more class-based than anything. You go to church not because you believe, but because you need to show your neighbors that you're a 'good person.' You dislike lower-class folks (that are usually a minority) because they're lower class, go to different churches, etc. Then you can just lump the racism in, as so many minorities are lower-class it's OBVIOUS it's a failing of the race.

Class-based snootyism.