THE ETHICIST
Q. I recently settled down with a really nice girl I met in the Park. We may even get married someday. Her family is well off, and her parents own a big house in the south of France where they go almost every summer. They are nice enough people, I guess, but more than a little crazy. Both are big Trump supporters.
Normally that would be enough for me to cut someone dead, but now they’ve invited my girlfriend (that’s their daughter) and me to their house in France for a couple of weeks. Should we go?
Normally I’d say yes yes! at the drop of a hat, but I’m afraid of being cooped up with these people, you know, sitting across from them at the table, trying to be nice even though I hate their guts. If I could speak French it would be another thing, because I could tool around the countryside and the little towns and that, but I don’t speak French and I don’t want to stand out as an American tourist.
Is it ethical for me to accept a nice all-expenses-paid holiday with people who are totally loathesome?
A. It sounds as though you are being bribed to join an evil tribe, and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if your new doxy was in on the scheme. Why do they always think they can buy our honor and righteousness just by throwing free trips and big houses in our faces? My advice to you would be the same as to someone asking if he should try heroin, “just for the experience.”
Perhaps you can decline politely. Tell them that you have to do volunteer work for the Kamala Harris campaign for the next few months, but maybe you’ll be able to get away next year, or maybe the one after that. That should put the chill in their bones.
Author: Legs Goldman
… “Legs” has something the others don’t.
