Why/how do some people get utility from hate?

1. Why I am passionate about this topic:
I don’t know much about why people choose to gear their lives around hating (nor do I understand it), but I am aware that hate is prevalent not only in America, but in the entire world. There are so many people who waste so much time and effort and energy on hate that it’s astounding. For example, the members of the Westboro Baptist Church have made it their mission in life to convince the world that God doesn’t love them and that the entire world (save the Westboro Baptist Church, of course) is going to hell. But even on the less extreme side, people waste effort trying to keep gay people from being able to get married and adopt kids and have all the rights US citizens are guaranteed (Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan and much of the Republican party). Even though, as a white straight natural-born United States citizen, I am not the target of any hate groups or any hate in general, it bothers me that other people aren’t afforded the same rights as I am. As a person who does her best to be open minded to differences and accepting of those who aren’t like me, I don’t understand why people waste so much effort hating.

2. What I know about this topic:

• Hate has always been prevalent in the world.
• There are many groups focused specifically on hating other groups of people.
• Differences between people often end in hatred.
• People try to justify their hatred.