It depends on if you're talking about the "oppressed people can't be racist" kind of theory of oppression, or the "the rules are the rules" kind of oppression.

It depends on if you're talking about the "oppressed people can't be racist" kind of theory of oppression, or the "the rules are the rules" kind of oppression. Honestly it wasn't written to the person to say "it's totally OK for a person to speak this way" it was more of a "look lots of people are going to rub you the wrong way, here's a way to think about it that involves them being accidentally ignorant rather than purposefully malicious". I'm not saying a person should have to have this attitude and "let everyone get away with it" but I can say that anyone who does have this attitude will probably have a happier personal life. The decision is up to all of us.