I agree with David Bernstein that this refusal to discriminate was stupid and costly.

Irrational discrimination can be very painful and ugly, and so it’s very tempting to outlaw and discourage all discrimination (based on certain unchosen characteristics, anyway) regardless of whether they may be rational. But, such laws and practices can also lead to injustice and, as in this case, to tragedy as well.

I think it’s far better to respect liberty and permit both rational and irrational discrimination, and leave it to evolving social norms to discourage the ugly, irrational, sorts of discrimination.