The problem is the rural Trump voters' lack of interaction/socialization with minorities has lead to fear of them. All these folks have to go on as far as minority experiences are the regurgitations of people like Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and tv shows like Cops. They don't actually interact with any non-whites on a day-to-day basis. Everything they are reading/watching is reinforcing the fearful/prejudice stereotypes they already possess. It's the same reason we are having so many unarmed black people shot during "routine" police stops. The white police officers have no history of minority interaction and are thrown into minority districts on patrol. With no experience to draw on this leads to fear which leads to quick trigger fingers. The article is correct in it's one main point - Trump expertly tapped into this "white fear" and executed a clear path to the Presidency due largely to stoking those fears.