@jezra well... not *required* .. but we are often in the same space together.  Sometimes we play together at a open jazz session. 
we have friends in common.  
If I avoid them, it means I will be excluding myself from spaces and human company I enjoy. 

I don't think they are necessarily evil.  They were drunk and said a stupid thing. However they are often drunk and say stupid things - this one was too much for me to ignore at the time.