well that's what happens when you have delusional social justice warriors leaping at every faint opportunity to virtue signal by presenting even the most innocuous of situations as racism, or sexism, or classism or whatever ism eventually the minorities become more sensitive to interactions with majorities and the majorities become more and more suspicious and resentful of the minorities since both sides feel growing tension between them

this is not only a race issue but occurring  with men and women, for example

Why does he have to be up to something? I'd be like "WTF?" too if an employee was in my personal space without excusing himself or explaining why. 

No need, the U.S. has a rich and full history of it

Actually people who aren't minorities are super sensitive as well these days. Everything not to their liking is chalked up to someone being an "SJW", "snowflake", "race baiter", etc; 

Is this something you witness in your day to day life? Or through the very media many with your viewpoints say is biased anyway? 

Been a victim of projected racism and actual racism. Been called a cracker multiple times, once because I "didn't know how to speak spanish".

Try not to think about this stuff because it seems to hold people back but OP's story reminded me of it.

Particularly now, people are overly sensitive/defensive, but some of my experiences was 4 to 5 years ago. I think if you're looking for it, you'll see an approximation of it everywhere.

That's totally different. Those people are upset about the politically correct behavior of others to begin with.

I have never encountered that with minorities, they are normal everyday people.  Minorities are normal people just like everyone else they are not out to get anyone.

its becoming a more frequent trend in real life and its starting to affect political policy and company policy in a massive way

Buddy. You probably don't even remember the Myspace to Facebook trend, much less trends in racial discrimination or the struggle against it.

You are suspicious and resentful of growing tension? Really? I wonder how would you call the old days of lynching, race riots and apartheid. Peaceful and quiet, perhaps?

I've a suggestion to you pal. How about not spouting opinion of something you haven't, or at least haven't yet, experienced?

Let's begin with taxation, and actually working and paying taxes before calling it government theft or socialism, or whatever.

I've been in Canada for a year and a half now. Since it's Montreal and I'm "brown", I think I'm clear of the race wars that the minority of white and black people engage in, with the key word being minority. And I guess the people here are more mature than to assume "brown" people are terrorists, I'm free from that as well.
The only thing I find amusing is how people decide to contest with each other with their tribalism. If it's not black, white, brown or yellow(who chose that one for east Asians?), then it's English be french, or Irish Vs British, or Indian Vs Pakistani, or even smaller, and I'm sure most here won't get it, Baloch Vs Punjabi, or Notkani Vs Qaisrani.
People love to create groups and make sweeping overgeneralizations based on it. The problem is when you start basing merit or worth on it or start taking it seriously.
Like someone seriously believing all white people are privelleged and hate minorities. Or someone else thinking all black people are criminals and thugs.
The problem of being over sensitive might be a problem with an over sensitive person, or they might've just dealt with a lot of shit that day and are angry and go to the worst conclusions. The problem is you can't judge people based on anecdotal evidence and chance encounters. The best you can do is not get mad, maybe even smile or laugh about it and move on with your day. Or you CNA just clear the misunderstanding up and if they still don't believe it, then they might have some problem but again, you can't really do anything about it.
It is an interesting phenomena to observe in humans though.

lol, this feels like out of a sitcom

This is my point, you say it usually is, I say it is not that often. Does it happen? Yes of course. But not nearly as much as they believe. If you ask one of these minorities pretty much everything that happens to them is because of racism. That white dude doesnt like me? He must be racist. That girl doesnt want to go out with me? She is probably a little racist, etc.....  I feel like this is a very harmful way to look at the world. It feels like they are putting themselves down all the time.