Words matter. Meanings of words matter. Exactitude of speech and writing matters.
You can tell that most of the people throwing the word "racist" around (also homophobe, misogynist, sexist, privilege) don't really know what the word means.
Critical Theory believes that anybody who is "white", or who refuses to acknowledge the existence of SYSTEMIC racism (no one is seriously discounting individual examples of prejudice), or who will not disavow or apologize for their "whiteness", or fully embrace the godless Black Lives Matter political movement, is a racist and a white supremacist. To these people, you are literally evil incarnate, because you were born evil, if you are "white". They make their hatred of men, and the fair-skinned, and Christians, and heterosexuals very clear.
There is a word for people like this.
bigot: one who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.
- American Heritage Dictionary
They are bigots.
So when people start in with their hatred or disdain for "whiteness" or "white people", or any grouping of people deemed evil by this new religion of critical theory, it is acceptable to call them what they are.
They are bigots.
And what do they do once they label you a racist?
They shame you. They silence you. They disenfranchise you and ruin your career. They put you through a full on struggle session and make your life impossible.
What will we do now that we've correctly identified them as the real bigots?
Nothing. Pointing it out is enough for us.
I hate to say it, but we are ALL Lindsay Graham.