The real issue I see is that it increases the risk of dispute, even when there was no intent to start an argument... I believe this is part of why media is creating such chaos in our society

Ah, respectability politics. Dispute is so horrible that it must be avoided at all costs. It's creating all this chaos!

You know your exact rhetoric is used by racists to create plausible deniability for themselves. The reason racists use words with double meanings is because people like you will always come and talk down to others who call it out. Let me guess: which part of the "media" is creating chaos in society?

it's not meaningful when you use the word racism to describe something regardless of intent. What it really means is that you have been offended

The pejorative comes from a history rooted in racism. Racism does not require intent because it's a system of bigotry with the intent to control others and common speech. This is where "dogwhistles" come from, words that on the surface seem okay but are really just signals to other racists. You can't just always assume that people "made a mistake" in every situation.

I would argue the term "ricing" or "ricer" is not racist in the discriminatory sense unless used negatively. Rice is good, and Asian food uses a lot of rice. It's most definitely a stereotypical term and that can be problematic in its own ways. Stereotypes can be a slippery slope to racism sometimes.

I do think the majority of people using the term probably didn't even think about how it is derogatory. In my area, I knew car club people who were proud to drive Japanese cars and call themselves rice related things.

I choose to not use the term, because I respect others feelings towards it. It was also never in my vocabulary to begin with as I am not a car person.