Hallmark romance is pretty heavy
-- Annoyed
Dear Annoyed: Yes, using a cellphone to make or take a call, to text or post on social media during a dinner party is rude, but it is important to recognize that these smart devices serve a multitude of functions: from showing vacation photos, to looking up the height of Mt. Kilimanjaro, to asking, "Siri: Who was William Bendix?"
At the beginning of your next dinner, you should say, "We'd like to enjoy our dinner unplugged tonight. Would everyone be willing to leave their phones in the kitchen while we eat? We can retrieve them over coffee." If some guests refuse to surrender their phones, don't press it further.
Dear Amy: I so appreciate your advice to "Sick at Heart," who witnessed a child being abused in public.
We as a society have gotten so used to looking away from situations that make us uncomfortable that our most innocent are suffering, sometimes in plain sight.
-- Grateful Advocate
Dear Grateful: It's better to at least attempt to help, than to walk away with a child's screams ringing in your ears.
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(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)
