It mostly depends on his social environment
If he's surrounded by people who just can't be "antisemite" then that's what it is, a taboo. Don't underestimate the propension to over rationalize when you're facing something that just doesn't fit your belief system; think of scientists and UFOs 2 or 3 decades ago. IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING ELSE. Anything else. Anything except THAT.
Same mechanism can take place, even more when there's a reward and punishment system attached to it, peer pressure peer validation
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