I agree, and I think this is probably a response to the recent post that stated GitHub can be your resume.
However, one thing I've learned in recent tech interviews, and I'm a senior developer, is that if you don't provide good code in those interviews, you will fail those interviews. Therefore, regardless of the method you use to hack, you better be prepped for writing some solutions to well known problems quickly and easily if you want a job.
I believe in freedom of opinion and speech, but I also believe in freedom of sense. Believing that slavery is good is not only a generally offensive position, but it is an opinion that implies poor morals. Therefore not only in general company is expressing such an opinion a poor choice if one wishes to be socially accepted, but having the opinion itself is an abomination.
Being easily offended is not a good thing. And anything that divides for the purpose of uniting, like political correctness, enforced diversity, etc. is suspect because it can annoy or hurt a group, even if that group is in a power or majority position. And people have the right to be offended or not offended. A morally corrupt person has the right to hang out in the Hall of Evil if they would like. That is freedom.
But the purpose of the original post being discussed is that there is a way to apologize, and for that matter a reason to apologize. I personally think the apology was warranted. But, in the case of wanting to bring back slavery, I just don't think you can defend it as a moral opinion that should be aired. Even though I wouldn't outlaw the opinion, that doesn't stop me from strongly suggesting it is a bad idea and a sign of antisocial foolishness.
I am not known for being very politically correct, but I disagree with your assessment of #3. Some people just don't know where the line is and continually cross it, and that is not ok, but they shouldn't fail to apologize and they should try to learn from their mistakes if possible, and if not possible they should avoid situations that lead to #3.
In the case of wanting to bring back slavery, you'd be unable to successfully apologize. You may as well tell people that Hitler was your father and you were proud of him in that case, because you'll never be totally forgiven.
At some point, it might be best to give your best apology as stated in the post, but assume that you will not be able to recover from the leg down your throat.
What if Amazon were just positioning itself to do rebranded fulfillment? i.e. First Amazon equipment is sold to Target, etc. distribution centers; but you could spend more and have Amazon actually run the center; or you could have Amazon's distribution centers use your branded boxes and use their fulfillment centers.
However, one thing I've learned in recent tech interviews, and I'm a senior developer, is that if you don't provide good code in those interviews, you will fail those interviews. Therefore, regardless of the method you use to hack, you better be prepped for writing some solutions to well known problems quickly and easily if you want a job.