General Discussion

I probably should have used the word "prejudice." I have a sort of inherent lack of faith in the impact of the word. As you note so well in your post, the concept itself has somehow come to be complicated and subjective and riddled with arbitrary exceptions. You can't put a screw in it without a wall anchor.

I try to drill down prejudice to more "bedrock" failures like weak-mindedness (including ignorance) and paranoia, and the risk they pose to a person of easily spiraling to criminal-mindedness (not the statutory kind but the general range from rude nuisance to evil).

I do see it as an education issue, but I take it down a step to a wisdom issue. Appealing to a lack of education on someone's part has become ineffective I would say. Referring back to your post title about words as weapons, "Educate yourself" has been used by ineffective (to put it kindly) speakers too often "as a weapon." I think "wisdom" still appeals to people.