I have only known on the rare occasion that if a young person is disrespected by someone old enough to know better should they speak up and react the finger of blame nearly always falls on 'loutish' youth more often than not. Regardless of the real reasons for it occuring.

Ignorant old people on the otherhand have the advantage of being old with all the courteousy given to them expected with age and would be more likely to get away with being rude rather than a younger person. Socially they lived in a time that was very Xenophobic and unfortunately still have not yet fully grasped political correctness. This can be very embarrasing for everyone even if it is done in a quiet unintended patronising way.