"Important" means something important that I like. "Controversial" means something important that I don't like.

Writing "controversial" makes the reader think something is bad while helping the author avoid the chore of giving any actual reasons for their opinion.

Yes, I speak English. The point is not how "controversy" should be used, it's about how "controversy" is commonly abused for rhetorical purposes.

Why ask permission to change society?

What good does that do, appealing to indirect action?

Is it a polite way to both state needs and expectations, plus a way to indirectly change, plus a way to open a topic for discussion?

Precisely your 3rd sentence is how I would interpret the comment.

“Can we please X?” succinctly conveys a lot of meaning.

Yes