No *individual* can *alone* decide what racism is, however powerful he may be. How much concrete freedom -- including freedom of speech & freedom from racism -- we may enjoy gets *politically* decided by the balance of class and other powers. Having laws that protect "free speech" in theory doesn't help you at all if the political conditions are such that no one comes forward to defend you in case you get into trouble. The First Amendment didn't protect the Red-Purged.
Yoshie