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I learned from a very early age there are two things you should never discuss with anyone.
One is religion.
And the second is politics.
Most of you already know this.
But for any younger people who may not have heard, you might be wondering why.
These are the two forbidden topics of conversation.
When you get older, you'll understand better.
Religion and politics always seem to cause an argument whenever either issue comes up.
If I were to talk about religion and my perspective on what I believe, many of you probably wouldn't read this column anymore.
If I were to write on my political opinions, there would be people who would end up writing me a nasty letter or e-mails.
Or asking for the removal of my position.
And so, I choose not to speak about either topic in my small little section of your Sunday paper.
Again, you should never discuss politics or religion with others.
But people do it all the time.
And it certainly seems as if everyone has been talking about politics lately.
There is, after all, a huge and important election coming up in just a month's time.
But I will not be discussing my viewpoints or thoughts here.
In this piece of my world where I can say pretty much what I want.
And you know what? That's a shame.
Because according to the First Amendment, I should have that freedom.
The problem is ... we don't. Not in today's society.
The Constitution may say we do.
The law reads that we do.
But we don't.
Anything we say gets either misconstrued or offends someone.
And how dare we ever offend someone.
Why is everything getting so blown out of proportion nowadays?
I can remember a time not too long ago when people accepted another's position.
They might not have liked it. But they accepted it.
They might have even had a respectable debate about it.
Now, though, the least little thing we say that is inconsistent with another's viewpoint and someone is getting all bent out of shape.
I liked it better when things weren't bent.
Today, people sue one another. If somebody finds something offensive, they complain and whatever it was they didn't agree with gets removed from everyone else.
Good times.
I am tired of people getting offended. Over everything.
And I think it's a shame we can't talk about politics.
Or religion.
Because those are the two things which I believe honestly defines a big part of who we are as individuals.
They are the things that we believe in. They are our feelings. What is in our hearts.
And yet, we can't share this with anyone.
People are simply not as accepting as they used to be.
Again, that is a cryin' shame.
Whether or not I believe in God should not cause you to hate me.
Whether or not I choose to vote Republican should not cause you not to read what I write anymore.
If I were to vote Democrat, that certainly doesn't give you the right to dislike me.
Because I am still me.
I am still the person you liked before.
The person you read before.
The only difference is, you didn't know it.
Discuss your opinions of politics and religion with someone else?
It can bring out the worst in people.
When actually, it should be what brings us closer together.
We stopped understanding one another. We quit tolerating someone else's viewpoints.
Nothing is as it used to be.
I wish it were.
Life would be a lot better.
A lot simpler.
Better.
So, no. I will not be discussing much of anything this week.
Because there is so much I would like to be able to say. And cannot.
(Stenger is the community editor for the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times.)