Also, I disagree with the logic that the statement is inherently racist. I understand that everyone in the USA is hypersensitive about race and has been conditioned to automatically scream "racist" at the mere mention of that word, but analyzing the position behind the statement logically: in this context it is being used as a class signal, not a race signal.

I think it's completely uncontroversial to say that usage of the word always has a racial component.

Which statements with racial components are also racist is not a discussion that I believe can be usefully debated on a forum like HN.

Yes, but a default association that those with a certain race are likely to have a certain class is racist.