The point about traditions isn't that they should be accepted as inviolable, but that they need to be recognised, more especially by people trying to change them.

Sometimes exceedingly unpleasant or downright murderous traditions have been able to change in ways that get rid of those aspects, so that they become harmless and even healthy. Rituals that at one time involved human sacrifice changed into ritual dances, for example. Any number of our curent traditions can arguably be linked to stuff like that.

We don't burn people at the stake any more, true - but we do have bonfires and put "guys" on them.