I also think the definition of what terms are unacceptable has been made too broad. "That word has unpleasant connotations." Really? To who, you?
Guess what? You can make any word sound offensive if you say it with enough venom and disdain, doesn't matter if it's been used historically or not.
Homosexuals chose the term "gay" for themselves because they disliked other terms being used for them. Well, surprise surprise, the haters co-opted the term and now it's become slang for something that's not good!
Of course, phrases like "gay and lesbian" are silly because lesbians are gay, so that's redundant.
Likewise I think "African American" is a silly name for people whose heritage often goes back centuries in this country while many white people's ancestors may not have come over until the 20th century. So unless you want to call every white person a "European American", it's ridiculous. I also laughed when someone pointed out Charlize Theron, being from South Africa, is a true African-American! Take THAT PC police!