@Semaphore You're extrapolating from England to the Colonies, when many things were quite different between the two societies. Furthermore, you're building a false narrative of a consistent climate of universal racism.

@ChrisSunami I explicitly noted the degree of racism is not consistent, merely that the existence is universal. If you want to claim that colonial America was somehow an utopia of racial relations unlike England or Europe in general then that is yet to be substantiated in your answer.

My criticism of your answer isn't based on some notion of Colonial America being a "racial utopia". Here is your entire discussion of the colonies: "Are we really to believe that the same mindset evident in prejudice against the exotic Moor in 1600, wouldn't have manifested in even more explicit racism against enslaved blacks in colonial plantations?"

So you have a long discussion whose point is to paint a picture of universal racism, culminating in a single, inaccurate reference to the point of the OP

How is that such a highly upvoted response?

@ChrisSunami The idea that a bunch of Englishmen migrating to America would somehow develop a vastly different culture overnight is laughable on its face, but you're free to try demonstrate there was no racism in colonial America.

Your criticism of my answer is noted - I don't claim it is perfect by any means, But I don't know why you're holding me responsible for receiving votes.

Oh, and of course, the question isn't about the "point of the quote" but (as worded anyway) rather whether the impression the OP got from the quote, that race was unimportant, is accurate. If you disagree with my interpretation, well, that's why you've posted your own answer.

@Semaphore I'm sorry for taking a hostile tone. I find this answer, and the community's reaction to it, frustrating for reasons that are largely not under your personal control.