It must be countered with acts of goodness. Sitting home with your virtue does no good. In the face of hate, silence is deadly. Apathy will be interpreted as acceptance - by the haters, the public and, worse, the victim. If not answered, hate can persist and grow.
Hate is an attack on a community's health.
It tears society along ethnic, gender and religious lines, and ignites emotions that need to be channeled. Their views are fundamentally anti-democratic. Your actions can support individual rights. Think of fighting hate as civil defense. They often are a symptom of tension in the community.