Continuing my series of responses to the New York Times’, The Ethicist, without imposing values, here is my take on today’s post, “Can I Put Down My Aging Pooch?” Our family dog, a 14-year-old terrier, is currently living with my wife and me in Paris. She has made the trans-Atlantic flight three times in the past year (crated in the belly of the plane) when we return home for various[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times’, The Ethicist, without imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, “Can I Stay Friends With an Abusive Husband?” I have been good friends with a couple, “Jack” and “Jane,” for about eight years. They have been together for about 15 years. Although historically I have spent more time with Jack because we share more interests,[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicist, without imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, “Can I Tell a Dying Friend’s Secret to His Children?” One of my closest friends is dying of cancer. He will leave behind a wife, an ex-wife and two children from his first marriage, both of whom are over 21. I’ve known him for[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicist, without imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, “Should I Have Talked to My Father About His Cross-Dressing?” My father died seven years ago. He was 93. When I was getting divorced in the late ’80s and sharing my sexual woes with my mother, she confessed to me that my father dressed[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicist, looking at the consequences of one’s actions instead of imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, “Should I Hire a P.I. to Investigate a Relative’s Boyfriend?” My husband’s sister has had the same boyfriend since she was in her early teens, and they are now engaged to be married. He has nothing[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicist, looking at the consequences of one’s actions instead of imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, “You’re Going to Sell Your Home. Should You Mention the Snakes?” We live in a large house on a one-acre plot, and one-quarter of that is a wooded ravine, full of wildlife like deer, raccoons, the[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicist, looking at the consequences of one’s actions instead of imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, “Can You Keep a Woman From Courting Your Elderly Dad?” We are a large family, and our father is in his 80s. Our mother died several years ago, so our father moved into an upscale retirement[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicist, looking at the consequences of one’s actions instead of imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, “Should a Friend Be Told the Real Reason He Didn’t Get the Job?” A friend whom I like and admire a great deal applied for a teaching job at a private school where my wife used[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicist, looking at the consequences of one’s actions instead of imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, “Is It O.K. to Take a Gender-Non-Conforming Child to North Carolina?” For the past 10 years, my husband’s family has convened for an annual summer reunion at a beach house in North Carolina. It’s great fun[…] Keep reading →