No attempt to ridicule here, just an attempt to convey a concept in one word.

Gaslighting, I think, means a kind of manipulation where seeds of doubt are gradually sown, questioning the targets' perception and sanity.

I still think it's a great word to use if someone tries to claim that banning entire countries and their citizens is not racist.

Yes, and labeling behavior as that concept is an appeal to ridicule. You are classifying something you disagree with as something designed to mess with your perception of reality rather than actually intellectually engaging it.

>banning entire countries and their citizens is not racist

Because it's not in most cases (unless a particular race only comes from that set of banned countries). It's xenophobic. Please use the correct terms if you are going to level such strong accusations to such large numbers of people you don't seem to have any understanding of.

With respect to the word racist and its usage, I think we're in the midst of watching it expand its meaning. I'm not sure what to think about it, given that I both strive to use words carefully and precisely, while also understanding that language changes and attempts to control it can prove ultimately (frustratingly?) futile. I'd hate for that to be one more thing that gets in the way of effective communication, particularly on difficult issues like this.

After all, the point is ultimately to communicate: if we let strict adherence to a single definition of a word from getting in the way of understanding. Better to just ask what meaning is being used if necessary, while perhaps lamenting the loss in precision in silence.

Racist seems to be expanding and contracting. The whole "you can't be racist against white people" thing has been gaining traction lately. It's quickly becoming a word devoid of all meaning.

That's a separate issue in finding common ground as to what amounts to negative discrimination. I'm definitely not interested in litigating this one.

Racist xenophobia, to be extra accurate.