User blog comment:JoshofBlades/Why the Empire Should Prevail Over the Stormcloaks! (part 2)/@comment-67.49.41.50-20120901082427

Jarl Ulfric is racist towards any who are not Nord. While the Empire allowing the banning of the worship of Talos is deplorable, it was a concession made out of necessity. An empowered Empire will at some point rise up to reject the White-Gold Concordant and again face their Aldemeri foes. While the political machinations that resulted in the ban of the worship of Talos are difficult to accept, it was a path that prevented the death of many innocents and allowed the Empire to bide its time and grow in strength to someday rise up and reverse this injustice. I can accept half-hearted religious concessions made to prevent the slaughter of innocents, with the intent of someday reversing this injustice once the Empire had regained its strength, but I cannot accept overt racism against any who are not Nords. So though I sympathise the anger and plight of Nords who believe the Empire betrayed them in accepting the terms of the White-Gold Concordant banning the worship of Talos, understanding the big picture means acknowleding that the best outcome for most people in Skyrim will be attained by helping the Empire supress the rebellion, then help it regain its strength and face the Aldemeri once again. After that it can abolish the terms of the White-Gold Concordant, restore the worship of Talos, and make all the lands of the Empire a place where justice and tolerance reigns for all the races of Tamriel.

That said, I side with the Empire, even though I play an Imperial race character. My heart is with the Empire, but I will also at some point play through the game with a character supporting Ulfric, just to experience that content.