Coddling does not matter. People should know that being gratuitously offensive is not necessarily helpful to themselves or others. And they should know that if they say racist things, people will judge them to be racist.
Then again, perhaps some people find that being gratuitously offensive or racist helps them find and fit in with a crowd that they want to be with. Since that crowd seems to be getting more mainstream now, perhaps they see a benefit for themselves there, even if increasing racism and hostility will increase conflicts that will diminish America’s greatness.