It is fairly simple -- you can be on the wrong side of an issue, that is fine. But, if you want to survive once public opinions shifts, you gotta shift too. Lots of politicians where against desegregation, when it was an "issue"... but then public opinion swayed clearly to one side and they had the political sense and expediency to change their (public) views.

Lots of really horrible racist, sexist things used to just be "opinions" (still are really) -- but now they are just considered by the masses unacceptable.

Eich was a victim of his own stubbornness and honesty. Could have defused the entire situation with a simple lie: "I changed my mind on that issue".