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In these last posts there are more good points. BarryW suggests a danger of hardening of attitudes and I'd add, the potential for what he terms "pc" itself to become an ideology.
Bern points out that words emphatically shape thought and have real effects. I agree. At the same time, though, words are tools. There are fundamental roots of prejudice of which words are a manifestation. It may help weaken the plant of prejudice to chop off one branch (eg racism and associated words) but it doesn't kill it. Other shoots may continue to grow quite happily behind the garden shed while we're not looking. (That did happen on this thread.) Racism, sexism (thank you, howardmcs, for your comment here), ageism, ableism etc etc grow from the same roots - and yes, a fertiliser is power. In challenging prejudice it's not enough to condemn one, yet allow another to pass condoned. The focus has to be on the roots too, not just the branches.
The golliwog, again! Some people do understand golliwog dolls as a much-loved toy. Contributory to this understanding is experience and also background cultures (eg age, ethnicity, class, etc). So - is condemning a person for having affection for a golliwog toy in itself discriminatory? (I'm prepared to say it is - because it is devaluing a particular experience and its cultures in favour of others (and, ironically, using a racism discourse to do so).)
Keith notes that "-isms" are experienced differentially. That's a well-made point -one person may not feel a hurt, where others genuinely do. There has to be room for this understanding and empathy. A related problem is that in debating discriminatory "-isms" there are attempts to find an overarching solution and approach, ie a "one size fits all" fix. (Incidentally, this approach is also cultural, and doubly so as it's historical within a particular set of cultures (and is certainly being successfully challenged).) It won't and can't work, just because there is such a variety of background, culture, and experience - and indeed, way of expression. This thread so well underlines this.
So is there a solution? One part, which I think all of us here will have, would be a fundamental respect for other people. With that, would be also acceptance that their views differ and may not coincide with one's own, an understanding interest in why this should be so, and a self-critical (if necessary) reflection. They're some of the ingredients for a good prejudice weedkiller (and, especially for Brian, will help the roses bloom!).
This is an emotive thread, and tricky - but I do think it's been positively productive in that it has been a good exchange of views, and allowed a good chance thereby to further understanding. Thank you.
