It’s difficult these days to express opinions.

Brendan Eich, the head of the company behind the web browser Mozilla Firefox, resigned in April after boycotts of Mozilla due to Eich’s opposition to gay marriage. Eich’s view were praised/lambasted. Then Eich’s decision to step down was praised/lambasted by the opposite group.

When nonprofit World Vision changed its policies to recognize civil marriage between same sex employees, the organization was praised/lambasted. Sponsors of poverty-stricken children in developing countries quit in droves because of the decision. Apparently, they cared more for their views than for the children. Later, when World Vison chose to rescind this decision, the non-profit was praised/lambasted by the opposite group.

Pretty soon, none of us will risk saying what we really think. The ability to inflict monetary and other harm on those who disagree with us makes honest civil debate an endangered species.