There is a whole long laundrey list of things that black people were not supposed to do to white people. These are just a few off the top of my head
Back when segregation ruled the land
- look them in the eye
- address them as anything other than Sir or Ma'am
- supposed to step off of the sidewalk or cross the street in order to let them pass or have the sidewalk
- whistle
- behave in any way that could be miscontrued as being disrespectful especially towards white women
In modern day America some of these still apply.
- not contradict them
- not correct them
- not challenge them even when they
- falsely accuse you of an act or crime
- are clearly wrong, mistaken, or just being malicious
- are ignorant of the subject matter on which they profess to be speaking (this especially applies to racism in America)
Then you have an entirely different set of "shall nots" that a black person shall not do to a white person
- file a criminal, civil or administrative complaint against them
- name them as a defendant in a lawsuit
- place them under surveillance
- place them under investigation
- place hands on them to gain physical control of them
- handcuff them
- serve them with legal process
- present evidence against them
- testify against them
- attach their bank accounts
- seize their assets
- get their professional licenses revoked
- expose their corrupt, unethical, immoral or criminal behavior,
- etc.
When they start twitching, screaming and having a REALLY bad reaction that is way out of proportion to the things that are occuring and/or being said that's how you know that you've hit a little too close to home. And you're right that it's only a certain class of whites, those who are racist that act this way. I've worked in corporate America for most of my life, most of my bosses/supervisors especially in the begining were white men and several of them were mentors to me. None of them were the least bit intimidated by me or the fact that I was learning from them.
The reactions you've describing are those of people who are insecure and when they start talking shit about calling the police for things that are not a crime, then you know that you've struck a nerve. That's the last and only racist card that they have to play - siccing the police on you.