I guess I am not understanding your possible position. Are you saying that this wasn't that big of an issue in the past, but we have now swung (possibly) too far the other way and are too sensitive to things like blackface?
I don't think all people intend to be racist or racially insensitive when using blackface. I do think, however, that most of them are aware that it is taboo. They either like the attention it provides (even if just some stupid college kid at a Halloween party) or have the "I don't give a fvck/I'm not a racist" attitude and don't care to understand why it is such an issue.
Twenty years ago, it wasn't popular to want certain statues down that celebrated controversial historic Americans. Have we swung too far to the other side now because we don't want traitors of this country who fought for the enslavement of blacks celebrated with statues around cities? This phenomenon caught on just within the last few years. However, even as a middle schooler, I would frequently question things like how some places would actually have a school named after a Confederate general, how schools made children say the Pledge including "under God," and other mind-blowingly dumb things. I've mentioned him before, but a good friend of mine from 1st grade through high school had parents who came to the U.S. from Nepal after the father completed medical school. They weren't Christian. My friend, along with a couple of other Hindus in my elementary classes, would stand up and say the Pledge. I didn't get it. I knew they weren't Christian. Hell, I used to get into arguments with him about the existence of Santa Claus. I knew they didn't believe in a single, monotheistic god. I knew their gods weren't the same as the one the Pledge was written to include. Why would they say it? Why should they be ostracized in that they'd obviously be the odd one out - during an awkward stage for kids - due to a different belief? Why, most of all, would a public school take part in something like this?
I don't think being a little more educated, empathetic, and wise about these things is a bad thing, especially when it's not done to mainly pretend to be outraged. I don't celebrate Christmas for the religious aspects of it, but rather, I celebrate it for the cultural, family, and giving aspects of it. I have no problem with people saying "Merry Christmas." However, I error on the side of caution, and I don't think that's a bad thing. I use "Happy Holidays" not as a way to piss off Christians, but rather, to include those who may not be Christians in a season of celebrating, giving, and acceptance. Going forward, I look for things like the Pledge's inclusion of "under God" and other government sponsored things (money, etc.) to eventually lose that bullshit.
