And I maintain asking a question should not be offensive. I don't think anyone should be immune to accountability based on their race, or religion.

Those are two different things, though.

Being a particular race or religion should not, and does not, grant you immunity from being asked a question that would be appropriate to ask....

...and some questions that get asked in circumstances where it is only because of prejudice that the inquiry is made can and will be offensive.

Again, if you only ask the people with Irish surnames if they have drinking problems, when there's no reason whatsoever to ask them if they have a drinking problem, and you don't ask anyone else if they have a drinking problem, then it's just as offensive as affirmatively stating "I think that Irish people are prone to having drinking problems." The fact that you express your prejudice in the form of a question, rather than as a statement, doesn't change that.

If you have a reason for asking if someone has a drinking problem, or you ask everyone if they have a drinking problem, then someone who is Irish doesn't have immunity from also being asked that question. But if you're only asking the Irish people, and asking them for no reason, then you're being offensive and prejudiced.