Not OP but, You’re missing the point. This fact about the word rice is new to a lot of folks here, including me. You’re hellbent on proving that everybody is in on some racist circle that’s perpetuating the use of this word.
If a word changes it’s general meaning in normal day use… from something so bad to something that’s no longer associated with said bad thing… is it really bad? What about gay then? That term has be co-opted by homosexual men. Do you suggest we stop using the word gay? Then I would call you a reactionary.