Sure, there are a few things, racism, bullying and such where zero tolerance is appropriate. But, it should be obvious that those areas all concern not mistreating others.
In most cases, zero tolerance is a simpleminded policy, either to excuse those who want to abuse others or those with an intelligence level close to zero. Sometimes there is an overlap.
A policy of zero tolerance tries to force every person or every situation into the same mold. It is probably news to many of Trump’s toadies, lackeys and other mouth-breathers that everyone is not the same. Every situation isn’t the same.
This inane mindset isn’t new. It under-girds the concept of mandatory sentencing. I always wondered how that policy made sense to anyone. It stripped all judges of the opportunity to actually judge. It is an instance of the legislative branch usurping the judicial. Score one more for the simpletons.
Absolutes rarely require thinking. Complexity does.
