Freedom's Just Another Word for Raghead

*Update Below

So a State Rep (R) from South Carolina called Obama a "raghead" in reference to the woman running for governor of the state.

Now here's the thing that interested me. I had my own "gut" reaction to this report and the picture of the fella...I thought "redneck" and then when I thought again and put my respectable person hat on I thought "bigot". Now is there a difference?

When Rep. Bigot says "raghead" he means something VERY racist--others not like me are less than me and I feel disdain for them borne of ignorance (this is presumptuous of me, but...). When I thought "redneck" I meant, "that guy's a racist ass who must be fairly stupid."

Both are "slurs". However, one is a remark made based on what I assume is a visceral response of aggressive hate (which is fear) based on nothing rational or even observational outside of a visual response to color and an awareness of religious difference. The other is a response based on that slur. In other words, "redneck" may be a slur, but it's a descriptor used to identify ignorant hate and bigotry.

So, does just calling him a bigot "work" the same way as redneck? Or is my use of a slur harmful in the way "bigot" is "just" a word with no harmful connotations?

*Update

"Tolerance" has come under fire as a "mode" of thinking lately when applied to race relations and religion and rightly so. Having tolerance for an idea, person, belief system means you think those things are wrong and likely view them in way that is disdainful. Now, I am, via social rules, made to accept opinions and ideas and even actions that I find wrong or even immoral. And I agree there are things I should accept but I should not tolerate them. All persons have a right to equal treatment. Why should I tolerate that this is not the case? I might accept this reality "on the ground" but I should not tolerate it. I can accept that there are bigots, but why should I tolerate it?

Now further, you might say, people have a right to their opinions and why are yours better than theirs? Sure, people have a right to their opinions, but you know that some are wrong and that some are egregious in their wrongness...some are immoral. You KNOW that these distinctions need to be made. How you make these distinctions really defines you. I might accept the way you make those distinctions, but likely I will work to change them--and likely I will be intolerant of them.