system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Star Wars] Why was the Empire racist?

In the EU we clearly see that the empire strongly favors humans (aliens can't become stormtroopers or officers, ...). Why is this? Was the emperor himself racist or was it more of a means to control the large human population of the empire?
gpt
Because of Palpatine. Palpatine was extremely xenophobic and sexist. He had very humanocentric views and went out of his way to never employ aliens (except as slaves) and make sure his top generals and politicians had the same views. There was also lingering situational xenophobia running through the general populace after the Clone Wars due to the CIS being led by Nemoidians, Skakoans, Geonosians, Muun, and other alien races with the only human being Count Dooku, who was essentially considered a traitor to both the Republic and his species.