Dear Abby: Family Political Debate Opens Chasm Between Daughter, Mom

Dallas Morning News ^ | 9/13/01 | Paulne and Jeanne Phillips

[Artist]

I know he doesn't feel that way, but to many pro-abort types he does, simply by the virtue of the fact that he is not pro-abort. The very definition of "woman-hating oppressor", to them, is someone who does not believe in "choice." So in the context of this discussion, the analogy works.

No it doesn't. The brother could easily explain that Bush not a woman hater, but that some people think he is because they are afraid he will do something to stop them from killing babies. Their opinion of him is not based in truth. But Gore does IN FACT support the killing of babies... he would proudly call himself pro-choice. One side has an opinion, the other side has a fact. An eleven year old could understand that.

...it is not appropriate for an adult to try and undermine the relationship of a child and her parent...to make their children question their authority or love. It is simply wrong to drawn an 11 yr. old into a situation like that.

1. You're assuming he was trying to undermine their relationship by telling the truth, not a lie or even a distortion.

2. Her mother had/has ample opportunity to explain her position to her daughter. Apparently, she couldn't. She's the adult who undermined their relationship, not her brother.

3. If the mother supported puppy torture and wanted to vote for the pro-puppy torture candidate, I don't think 11 is too young to learn what your mother supports. After all, shouldn't Mom be proud of her puppy torture position and be able to explain why puppy torture is a good thing?

I know you're pro-life, but I disagree with your opinion that the uncle was out of line.

Husband of Artist

[workerbee]

We disagree on the uncle's tact. We don't disagree on the rightness of his position.

[workerbee]

As I said in an earlier post, I don't believe his response was an appropriate one to an 11 yr old, and by its very nature it did undermine the child's relationship with her mother. On an emotional level I can appreciate you feeling differently, but I just think it was the wrong way to handle the situation.

[HamiltonJay]

Dear Mother.... Your daughter understands what you attempt to ignore. With your line of reasoning, she may not be here today!

You raised a daughter with morals than you have... Kudos.

[HamiltonJay]

make that more morals than you have..

[Sloth]

OK, consider yourself flamed. Nobody can be 'solidly pro-life' while choosing to couch infanticide in anything other than accurate, factual terms.

[Artist]

While I think we've reached an "agree to disagree" point about this, there is one more thing that I'd like to add for your consideration:

When I was 11, my church showed graphic slides of aborted babies during mass. Those images were indelibly imprinted on my young, impressionable mind, and I've always been thankful for that. My mother was pro-life, so that's never been an issue between us, but even if it had been, I think that it was far more important for me to know the truth than potentially disagree with my mother.

Many young girls don't know the truth about abortion, and end up aborting their babies....only to wake up to the truth years later. Then they are tortured by what they've done for the rest of their lives. This particular child may have very well been spared that fate....thanks to her uncle.