Actually, what the essay proposes wouldn't result in ignoring it, it'd result in making it more obvious. The idea of trying to understand and/or address the rational reasons behind a seemingly racist behavior is the process of stripping excuses that a person might have.

But it's only when you look beyond just assuming "oh, they're racist", that this sort of process can begin. And, as linked and explained in the article, there's no guarantee that you actually understand what motivates a person, especially if you haven't tried (or been forced to).