Jordan- of course we can agree to disagree. But I don’t think it’s as black-and-white or as simplistic as removing yourself to protect your boundaries. The context here is that it is her husband‘s mother and that is a very important person in her life or it should be. Getting up and going to McDonald’s in this context is like dentating a nuclear bomb just because someone threw a snowball at you.

I was born in Chicago and raised here so I am very familiar with both cultures. Just 50 years ago people in this country were polite and opened doors for each other and gave their seats to old ladies on the bus and kids were taught to speak respectfully to their elders and teachers with ma’am or sir. Miss Manners was a very popular column written by someone who was even more orthodox than I am.

I think we’ve just deteriorated into a society of people who get easily offended and cannot diplomatically and elegantly navigate conflict. There will always be people who disagree with the author or push her boundaries- if this is how she reacts to everyone no one is going to want to be her friend or tolerate her in return.

Anyway I’m sure we will not agree on this but that’s what makes this is such a great country - we are all free to express our opinions.