I don't need to give a shit about any particular words to care about the intent. Someone calling me racist or any other -ist is intended as an attack, against both my character and in the present social climate, my security. Reacting is rational, as long as it's effective.

You said yourself that the best response to shut that down is to go on the offensive, not just taking it. Not everyone's strength is words and verbal debate though, some are so bad at it that they will actually make things worse like that, but are great at punching someone in the face hard enough that they regret their life choices, and are in a context where they can get away with it. It's self defence in my eyes and I say let people stick to their strengths.

Plus I'm just tired of a society that has made being a two-faced, cowardly, bitch crying wolf meta by nerfing the ability to beat them the fuck out.