It's a racial slur.
One has to go a long, long ways to rationalize that into an innocent statement. I happen to believe it's origin was innocent. I believe the rationalization, I do not believe it was intended as a racial slur.
And I happen to know it's a racial slur.
There have been racial slurs all over the country, for which there may have been innocent explanations, and many have had apologies.
All of them, at least to my knowledge, have been removed.
Arf