911 also was used as pretext to attack Muslims/MidEasterners in America, yet discussing Afghanistan/Saudi/Al-Qaeda/Islamic extremism origins of the attack didn't get branded as racist.
The firm association in the public mind between the attacks and origins, as your comment for example demonstrates, is the part of that great PR success by China.
Your memory of 2001-2007 or so is very different from mine. I recall the term "raghead", attacks, and the lovely picture of fully armed men in body armor "protesting" a mosque in Dallas. And yes, that was racist.
The firm association in the public mind between the attacks and origins, as your comment for example demonstrates, is the part of that great PR success by China.