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> It means statements that they perceive as having those qualities.

That is exactly the same thing. If you acknowledge that they perceive a statement to be racist then you agree that racism is what they mean.

> that perception is itself politically driven.

Isn't everyone's ?

> That is exactly the same thing. If you acknowledge that they perceive a statement to be racist then you agree that racism is what they mean.

The point is that them thinking something is racist doesn't make it racist.

Of course it doesn't. People are wrong all the time.

But even if they are wrong, their argument is still that racism is unethical. You can't correct a misinterpretation by another misinterpretation.