Yup, it should be struck from the lexicon. Use the word prejudice instead. Because it requires the user to qualify it and therefore gives it actual meaning and weight. Rather than just being another pejorative.
If you call me a racist it shuts down all further discussion because now we're just going to deal with that label. But if you accuse me of being prejudiced against your race well then we have something to talk about.
Of course derailing the discussion is exactly the intent when some nigger hauls out racist and racism, and sadly we still too often get sucked into that trap. But it's a fruitless, circular process and even though the nigger might think they've won it's only because the white guy they accused of being a racist didn't win. In fact nobody wins. In fact we all lose.
In fact there is nothing wrong with the word. For example is it racist of me to say that sub-Saharan Africa has an average IQ well below 100? Yes it is racist, but it's also a fact so how is it bad?
Unfounded or unwarranted racism is unfounded or unwarranted prejudice, and that's not okay. If I refuse to hire you because you're Chinese and I hate the Chinese for some unclear reason that's unwarranted. If I refuse to hire a nigger because the last 3 niggers I hired stole like it was their job then my actions are warranted. Now I might someday decide to hire a nigger, but today based on my experience it is actually prudent for me not to. And that is not a bad thing.
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