It's something that gets lost in not just these discussions but so many others, but not being "innocent" is not the same as being "guilty" of everything.
Rafiq was naive and wrongly used stereotypes about Jewish people on an open social media forum. He has said that he has become a better person since then and we should take that at face value.
I have made racist jokes in the past and judged people purely on their ethnicity. However, I have also realised that this was wrong and hope that I am a better person too. The Prison Service has some of the most damaged and dangerous people that exist (and that's just the staff!!!) but you soon realise that they are still people. I have dealt with some incredible murderers and absolutely vile burglars. And I can honestly say that race, religion, culture, age, gender, sexuality or any other protective characteristics have absolutely no bearing on whether or not someone is an A*****e!
We all have a past, and none of us are truly innocent. But that shouldn't prevent us looking to be better now or in the future. Racism exists not just because of people making racist comments but because the fact that many others turn a blind eye to it. We all need to challenge racism, and even more so if we aren't innocent ourselves.