If I person is an ass; if a person is hurtful to others; if a person places the happiness and well-being of others below consideration; then this person is probably someone I will not like. And in many cases I would like to be able to tell this person, or tell the world, how I feel. But often that action is not socially acceptable.
Why? The answer is simple: I am a white heterosexual male middle-class American. And because of this I am not “allowed” to offer criticism to anyone who is not like me. If I do I am a racist, sexist, homophobe, or in some other manner a beast of discrimination.
If I speak out against the racial discrimination of Affirmative Action, then I am myself labeled a racist.
If I speak out in favor of Israel, then I am a racist.
If I speak out in favor of profiling at airports, then I am a racist.
If I speak out against women in combat, then I am a sexist.
If I speak out in favor of tighter immigration control, then I am a racist.
If I speak out against illegal immigrant amnesty, then I am a racist.
If I speak out against some asshat who happens to be black, gay, or female; then I am racist, homophobe, or sexist.
Oh how I long for the end of racism, sexism, and other forms of unfair discrimination. I just want to get to the point where I can hate someone for who they are without being accused of hating them for what they are.