From my earliest days programming, 1975, through to the early 1990s differences of opinion were common in offices. The first gulf war, for example, was a hot topic.

For 15 years I was off running my own small software business and consulting after that.

When I returned to an office in 2005 I was surprised to find that all political/social discussions had vanished.

Now the silence has been replaced with intolerance. I don't know why that happened, but I do know it could signal the beginning of the end of the America I grew up in. When peaceful disagreement is disallowed disagreements will eventually be expressed in less than peaceful ways.