Hatred is irrational
Hatred is irrational. That's the underlying problem. If we hate bigotry, we won't address it responsibly.
In that context, hatred is never acceptable.
But in a broader context, yes, it is fair to hold someone accountable for their
beliefs. There are often mitigating circumstances, but it doesn't change the fact of hatred.
And, as Fraggle noted, what goes on in any person's mind is their business. But beyond that, are they acting on that hatred? Madanthonywayne has hit the point exactly: there is a difference between what we do (choose) and are.
However ....
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Madanthonywayne said:
Would you really want to rent from someone who hated you for being gay? Take it a step further, would you want to work for someone forced to hire you but who hates you because you're gay?
The question is actually
gaining validity these days, as the civil rights situation for homosexuals changes and public attitudes evolve. But it hasn't always been a fair question. And, even today, there are places in this country where people still don't have much of a choice. I mean, there's always a choice, but I've never liked the whole "pack up and move" bit. You know, as if a black waitress in Alabama could really afford to pack up her kids and move to, I don't know, San Francisco or Seattle. Hell, there are people out in the east half of Washington who just can't afford to uproot their family in order to move to more tolerant climes.
But, yes, in the modern day the question gains validity. Still, though, let's turn it around. We all have spiteful fantasies, and when I was younger I always liked the idea of running a movie studio and refusing to hire Christians. Really, the deeper one gets into the religion, the less their value as a writer. And, hell, if someone objects to working on a movie that includes nonmarital intimacy, drug use, or whatever, I don't need them on the lot.
Would that be fair? Of course not.
How hard is it to find a reason to fire someone you hate and make it look like it was their own fault?
Or not promote them, maybe?
Don't get me wrong, I understand the point, and even agree that it is correct, but these are the sorts of things that end up in lawsuits, and in many cases, people of similar political outlooks as yours complain about the complaints. That assessment, of course, depends on the range of cases we include under the rubric.