You are correct. There are a large number of (stupid) people in this country who think that merely failing to applaud everything they do or say constitutes "imposing your beliefs" on them.
I agree - a lot of people have no idea what they are saying a lot of the time. It's all just this verbal shorthand they picked up someplace and never gave it much thought.
In conversation I love to ask what are called 'process questions.' That is, questions that seek to evoke the person's process for coming to a conclusion. This leads to hilarious results and I am (really usually) greeted with a 'deer in the headlights' look.
So for example, when a coworker once said "I don't mind religion, but I just don't want it rammed down my throat!" Instead of arguing, I leaned in and nicely asked "That's interesting - how do you know when something is being rammed down your throat? I mean, as opposed to someone just sharing their point of view? How do you know when this is happening?"
Wide-eyed horror. They have nothing remotely resembling an answer for this.
Another question I have for the 'terminally offended' - people who enjoy being 'outraged' - is 'That's really interesting - how do you know when you are being offended? How is it different from your just disagreeing? What makes you offended at some things and not at others?"
That one is a doozie! I encourage you all to try it!
"There are a large number of (stupid) people in this country who think that merely failing to applaud everything they do or say constitutes "imposing your beliefs" on them."
In my book that's worse than stupidity.