'Dear Abby' announces support of same-sex marriage

[ruggerson]

Source: The Examiner

SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - For years, rumblings have surfaced on the Internet, conjecture about her casual references to "sexual orientation" and "respect."

Now, the subject of the speculation is ready to make a statement, insisting the truth was there all along for anyone who cared to read between the lines: Dear Abby supports same-sex marriage.

"There should be gay marriage. I believe if two people want to commit to each other, God bless 'em," the syndicated advice columnist said in an interview with The Associated Press. "That is the highest form of commitment, for heaven's sake."

What Jeanne Phillips, aka Abigail Van Buren, finds offensive - not to mention of dubious intelligence - are homophobic jokes, phrases like "That's so gay," and parents who reject or try to reform their children when they come out of the closet.

(more)

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/a-980006~AP_Exlusive___Dear_Abby__announces_support_of_same_sex_marriage.html

[sabbat hunter]

1. self delete n/t

[Fridays Child]

3. Jeanne Phillips is her daughter.

[Fridays Child]

2. Abby always was a sensible woman.

[NMMNG]

4. Good for her

:applause:

[dbackjon]

5. Awesome!!

[JNelson6563]

6. Bravo!!

:applause:

[superconnected]

7. Good for Abby!!!

[Not Me]

8. Thanks Abby.

I am so proud of straight allies who speak up.

[Cleita]

9. The original Abby is dead, but I remember her being pro-choice

long before anyone else would say so. She said in so many words that a woman's fertility choices were between her, her husband and her doctor. So it's good that her daughter has followed in her footsteps about gay issues.

[whopis01]

19. The original Abby is still alive but not writing, you might be thinking of her sister, Ann Landers.

Pauline Phillips (Dear Abby / Abigail Van Buren) retired from writing her column and now her daughter Jeanne Phillips has taken it over. Her twin sister Esther (Ann Landers - though not the original) died somewhat recently - I believe about 5 years ago or so.

[Cleita]

21. Yes, I believe you are right. Got them mixed up. n/t

[closeupready]

10. That's great.

:)

[wicket]

11. EXCELLENT!

:thumbsup:

[Beartracks]

12. Abby Normal! Good to see such a national celebrity...

...plugging the fact that espousing common sense and civility does not make one a "flaming radical."

[DemoTex]

13. She did a great response to farting a couple of weeks ago.

Basically, Dear Abby said that if you "cut one" it is customary to blame someone standing (or sitting) nearby ("Dear Abby," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9/30/2007, M-2 print edition). I think lawyers call that the "You-smelt-it-you-dealt-it" defense. Or offense, as it were.

Works well for me. I am, like TROF, a retired-old-fart. And they don't call us "old farts" for nothin'!

Pheeeew. Wish I hadn't eaten those pickled eggs with my Heinekens tonight!

[me b zola]

14. A victory for civil rights, decency and common sense

:applause:

[The Doctor.]

15. Great... now all the box turtles that read her column are gonna get hitched...

Just what we needed.

[Love Bug]

16. Good for her!

Jeanne Phillips is obviously a sensible woman. I hope she's ready for the backlash that's a comin'. I wonder how many right-wing papers are going to drop her column? I hope I'm wrong.

[Lugnut]

17. I'm not surprised

She'll probably get clobbered by some narrow-minded readers for her statement but I applaud her because she's right.

[Mythsaje]

18. She's really taken to the column

her mother started. She's made some very positive comments about gays, pagans, and all sort of folks outside the "mainstream" and did so in a way that she managed not to rile up the crazy batshit Gawd Squad.

So far.

[EFerrari]

20. That's great. And I want to point out, the net gives us an opportunity

to publish on this issue. There are so many outlets.

Let's do some "damage". :)

[leQ]

22. she also smokes hashish with charles nelson reilly. i was there.

but i'm glad she came out of the closet, so to speak. makes me proud to say i know dear abby.