Earlier this week, I wrote a story about Jacob Eleazer, an exemplary 28-year-old TAC officer who is in danger of losing his job in the Army. He’s recently come out as a transgender man, which medically disqualifies him from service. According to the military, being transgender is equivalent to being mentally ill.

We tell stories about people like Eleazer to shed light on peculiar contradictions, and to help people understand what may be unfamiliar to them. We wanted to explore why someone who made a conscious decision to serve his country would be prevented from doing so, not for reasons of ability, discipline or security. We wanted to ask why, not drum up hatred and bigotry. We don’t pick and choose our commenters, however, and while plenty of those who weighed in were on Eleazer’s side, the majority launched venomous attacks.

Typical comments ranged from “Just what we need, another angry, disgruntled ‘confused’ person in the military,” to “Jake might be a little gay, too, not just mentally ill.” Another man said, “Say goodbye to an elite fighting force, the best in the world, now that liberals corrode it with their perversion and filth,” and still another declared, “No wonder Putin has the confidence he does.” Enough. Of the 138 comments the story generated, these were some of the tamest.

It’s worth pointing out that Eleazer is not “confused” at all, and that the life-altering decisions he’s made can reflect only those of a sure hand. You could argue that Jacob is more in tune with who he is than most of us will ever be.

Whatever your take on Eleazer’s choice, two things are clear: His desire to serve his country has not diminished, and his seven-year record of service is unblemished. He also chose to undergo painful and invasive surgery, knowing he would have to communicate a complex, taboo decision to friends, family and colleagues. That requires real courage. Commenting on a website, by comparison, requires a pretty minimal commitment.