I appreciate you dilemna, Rick, as I experience the same thing from time to time. Sometimes, the herd instinct works to stiffle objective discussion of sensitive topics, which benefits no one. It's a variant on the "PC" theme. Some folks just don't want, or are incapable of rational discussion where their core beliefs are concerned. In my view, the habits of not talking and not thinking go hand in hand, in the same way as talking and thinking. I note, too, the vast difference between "talking", as in a considered (and considerate) discussion of a topic, and "talking", as in a shouting match where the group berates and belittles the nofconformist, not so much for the question raised as for the mere fact that he or she has disturbed the comfortable equilibrium be daring to not blindly conform.