Walk away, of Confront?--A Paragraph a Day

So often we hear how important it is to stand up to anything wrong, to confront people who are doing wrong and tell them how wrong it is.  While I do believe that in certain situations this can be an important way of approaching things, I also know that confrontation isn't always effective and that it can lead to some very negative results.  Sometimes it's better to simply walk away from situations and people, and never go back.  Some people simply aren't willing to change, no matter what we say or do, and our confrontation will surely backfire on us, no matter how good our intentions.  Should I confront this woman for her racist speech, even if I know that my arguments are going to do nothing to change her perspective or her speech?  Because if I do challenge her perspective and beliefs, it's possible that she'll do what ever she can to get back at me, and suddenly my life is much more difficult--and she still has her racist perspective.  I've accomplished nothing in my attempt to get her to see how destructive her views are, and now I'm battling against someone.  How many women have spent years being abused because they keep trying to change their husbands' views and actions, when they could have left those men and started anew with their lives?  Sometimes, people are neither ready nor willing to change their ways, and we hurt ourselves when we spend tons of time beating our heads against brick walls in a futile attempt to change someone who doesn't want to be changed.