But the intention to insult with racial or ethnic terminology is usually obvious.

Then perhaps we need to be more careful and use the word racist only when the intention is clearly that obvious?

But is it always so obvious and clear cut?

If I were call someone the dreaded N word this may be thought an obvious intent to insult them with racial terminology - if one black person calls another this word or refers to himself as this - it is perhaps not so easy?

And in the recent celeb Big Brother TV show, when forming a spoof Jackson 5 tribute band - Jermaine Jackson told the Bollywood actress she need to blacken up her voice..........