I'm in my mid 30s. In my college years and shortly after I was definitely still using what would be considered homophobic slurs today, but as the culture shifted and I became more aware, I stopped. Should my actions from back then result in termination from my job today?
I'm not saying its right. I'm certainly not defending Gruden or the remarks, and I'm definitely not arguing that they should be acceptable language in our culture. Kindness and sensitivity in language is a good virtue.
But I have a certain sympathy and sensitivity toward Gruden too, because there has to be a social and cultural statute of limitations on something like this, especially due to the speed at which our culture gained sensitivity toward it.
Guess I could pontificate more on social morality and how those things can change quickly, and how easy it is too judge how things were when they have changed, or how there are things we do today that could easily be frowned upon or maligned in 10-15 years as well, and how we may be setting precedents for our own downfall later.