While nobody has defended the jokes that were made, many feel that considering Gunn had apologized previously for the comments, and they were made nearly 10 years ago, when Gunn was, by many accounts, a very different person than he is now, he should be able to move forward without being punished for the person he used to be.
Mike Colter’s comments have been echoed by many in the week plus since it was announced by Disney that they were severing their relationship with James Gunn in regards to his directing of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and his work on the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.