It's no longer possible to politely disagree in America

You can't go very long these days without hearing how polarized the country is.

I will freely admit my role in that. I'm a staunch, unwavering conservative. If I had my way, we'd never elect another liberal politician and we would repeal liberal policies. I'm outspoken in my beliefs, and one of my guilty pleasures is trolling liberals on social media. Truth be told, I probably enjoy that more than I should.

But having said that, I don't mind a good, honest, civil debate on the issues of the day. I think it's important to discuss what's going on. At the end of the day, I still believe my side has the best answers, but it's important to know what the other side thinks, and why.

We're getting to the point where that's not possible. Post a pro-Trump comment, and you're a Russian bot. Speak up in defense of Hillary, or Bernie, and you're a libtard. While some of that is in good fun, sometimes it crosses the line.

Since when did it become acceptable to try to get someone fired because you disagree with them?

Read the comments on social media posts of news stories, and sooner or later you'll see it. "I see you work for so-and-so. What if your boss knew what you think?"

Translated: "Nice job you have there. It's be a shame if something happened to it."

I'm not talking about racism here, nor threats against anyone's safety or welfare. Just the simple expression of an opinion with which someone else disagrees. The anger in our society is so palpable that there are actually people who think someone should lose their job because someone has an opinion that runs counter to their own.

Last time I checked, we all have the freedom to hold different political opinions, and the freedom to express them. And while I realize this is strictly not a First Amendment matter, the core principle of that doctrine is to encourage discussion and dissent. You shouldn't have to pay a price just because you believe in something that someone else doesn't.

I had something like this happen to me recently. Someone unhappy with my opinion on a subject in the news let me know they just might feel led to let my employers know I'd weighed in on something and they disagreed with it. The details are unimportant, but the gist of the matter is that someone was not happy when I noted some hypocrisy being expressed in public by a member of the media.

Why anyone feels that when someone else posts something related to a current event when they're sitting in the comfort of their living room on a Friday evening, it merits such a reaction, is beyond me. But that's where we are now.

Not too long ago, I saw a liberal post what I felt was an outrageous take on some issue. A conservative followed up with, "Maybe I should tell your employer what you posted." I quickly chided them, saying something like, "We're better than they are. That's how they operate. They're entitled to their opinion, too, but we're different than they are. We don't threaten people's jobs just because they disagree with us."

We may never heal the divisions within this country. In fact, if the liberals ever take power again, I hope conservatives will be louder and stronger than ever in their opposition. But we have to be able to agree without being disagreeable. No matter how much I may oppose your viewpoints, I won't try to get you fired for expressing them. You should show the same courtesy.