My daughter has been called a Coon Ass...
...and not because of any physical deformities. She was a resident of LA through her middle and highschool years. And she feels entitled to use the term. I do not feel entitled to use the term.
People have a right to determine how they should be adressed. In some cases, they have the right to determine different rules of address for different groups of people. When you aren't sure about the rules, stay the heck away from things that sound like they might be controversial. That's my thinking anyway.