Can't We All Just Agree to Disagree?

Since when did speaking your mind become such an awful thing to do in this world? On a regular basis it seems I am forced into a huge debate often over something of little importance simply because someone disagrees with what I said.
Are we no longer allowed to disagree?
It's as if people feel they are so entitled to their own opinions that it means that others can't have their own as well!
Facebook has been quite the platform for voicing your opinion but it has also opened the doors to have people argue about it.

I posted a picture on Facebook recently of my son holding a sign that read "Democracy Works" which we got while at the Rally Against Proroguing Parliament at Victoria Park on January 23, 2010. Boy did that spark a debate that I didn't see coming. It all began when a friend made the comment "this is horrible in so many ways."
At first I was so confused. Was she saying democracy doesn't work and I shouldn't be teaching my son otherwise?
Then she said "for the record - I don't disagree that democracy works or doesn't work. i disagree with jack layton, the ndp party, and everything they say they stand for."
Ok so that answered me.
It all came down to the fact that the sign happened to be made by the NDPs and she doesn't like them.
I was still confused though. What made the picture so horrible? First of all the rally we attended was not thrown by and for NDPs only. It was for any Canadian who wanted to send Harper a message. In fact we went with Benjamin's uncle who is extremely Liberal. The picture was not taken or posted to support the NDPs it was there to support democracy.
There should have been no discussion about anything unless she was speaking solely in regards to democracy or how adorable my son is. Even if I was posting it in support of the NDPs it would be completely out of line for her to had made such comments against it anyways. Had she simply wrote that she is Conservative and disagrees with the NDPs that wouldn't have bothered me. To each their own. But to label the picture down right horrible? Something about that seems off to me. People who choose to stand behind the NDP party are not horrible...just as those who stand behind any other political party are not horrible either.


Then there is the discussion that went on today in regards to the new changes Facebook has made yet again to their layout. Of course as usual there are a slew of people complaining about the change in their status'.
But then there was this status in response to all of that " loves how people *complain* about fb changes. CHANGE is good people get over it or get off the bus. I still don't know what the "change" is as it hasn't happened to mine yet... but CHANGE is good... 'spices up life'"
The comments to follow were basically all in support of this and making fun of the people who were complaining stating how they must have no life or anything better to do if they are actually taking the time to complain about Facebook. That's where I stepped in. Perhaps I stand up too much for people in general because I always get myself in trouble. I stated how I don't see what the big deal is either way. If someone wants to complain who cares? Why should their complaints be worth complaining about yourself?
I wasn't even taking sides of either end. I just don't get it when people believe it is wrong or stupid for people to voice their opinions but that it's ok for them to do so. I was really only playing devil's advocate. Based on their own theory, shouldn't it mean they too have no lives since they are taking the (gasp!) few seconds to write a status complaining about something that is happening on Facebook? Am I crazy for thinking this?!
For the record I don't think anyone involved has no life or anything better to do because they are complaining about this stuff...I think it is ok for people to voice their opinions...I just don't see the need to attack or make fun of people when they do.

I have also came under attack recently for sharing a couple of sentences in regards to my negative experience with a certain online forum with another forum. Assuming that an online forum is a place to express your thoughts and feelings and simply chat with others was apparently a mistake. At least to some.
Nothing overly negative was said and I even counteracted what I said by sharing my positive experiences with the site.
Yet this spiraled into pages upon pages of arguing back and forth, reigniting some kind of forum war. On average the people involved were about middle aged mothers. They were actually making cruel comments, sending "hate reps" and some even going as far as spreading the hatred on to the outside world in people's blogs and businesses!
People from the one forum were actually signing up on the one I returned to simply to fight with me about my opinion. I was truly flabbergasted.
For the record the only reason any mention of the original site was even made was to simply relate to others on the new board and explain why I had been gone so long without posting and was suddenly returning.

I have been called every name under the sun lately for just saying what I was thinking. Here I am doing it again. Hopefully this does not start yet another vicious debate. Only thing I am wondering here is...am I really crazy for thinking we are all entitled to our own opinions...even to share them...but that it becomes out of line when we bash others for their beliefs and refuse to accept that it's ok to have their own?

Hopefully if anyone who has been involved with any of my examples reads this they do not take offense. I am only using these cases as recent experiences I have had lately in regards to people who disagree with something and how they choose to handle it.

To be clear here...I am not in any way against people stating their opinions. I am for that. I am just against people trying to make others feel ashamed or bad for doing so. A light debate is one thing...but there is a thin line that can be crossed in a debate and it seems to be happening far too often. A line between sharing your opinion and belittling someone for theirs.

The point is...here I am after writing this all out...hesitating over and over again as to whether I should publish this or not. I can't help but fear the negative feedback I may endure from posting this and yet part of me is screaming inside that if I don't post this and don't speak my mind I will be giving in.

"If You Don't Stand for Something - You'll Fall For Anything"