I beg to differ with your first statement that "...people don't just walk up to a random person and say racial terms to them." This happens on a daily basis, and hasn't changed the slightest in the past fifty years. I would even say that it happens to a wider range of people these days, as the population has significantly increased, and we have a wider range of ethnic groups.

The justice system has also not changed to a completely unbiased state. Juries and Judges still have the potential (just as everyone else) to be racist against any party. I must admit the frequency of this has definitely gone down, but I guarantee you that men, whether white, black, Hispanic, Asian, or other, have been subjected to bias in a courtroom due to their ethnic background.

In non-fiction, you follow a story of a real person as they participate in real events. If you are familiar with the events of that time period, you most likely know how the story will end. Even though you may not know the exact premises of that particular story, it is still a bit of a wreck to the ending.

On the other hand, fiction is most likely set in another world that is fantastic and sets the mind aflame with intrigue and awe. You settle into the story, are wrapped up in it, and become embroiled in its plot twists and characters. You feel that you can get closer to the characters also.