You Too!

you too, tu quoque
U2, not related to logical fallacies

Since I know very little about political issues and immigration, I tend to stay out of debates. But what I do know is good debate. So, I won’t often weigh in on one side, but I will comment on the quality of the arguments. In the recent brew-ha-ha over separating children from parents at the border, people used whatever tactics they could to “win the argument.” But there was quite a bit of “tu quoque” (Latin for “you too”) going on. Using this tactic doesn’t get us any closer to knowing what’s true or right.

“You too” happens when side A says that there is something really bad about the policy of side B, and side B responds by saying, “Well, you’re just as bad!” Typically, side B resorts to this tactic because they know their policy is really bad. They don’t want to defend it. So, instead, they shift the focus off of whether the policy is bad and put it on something side A has done which is just as bad. This puts side B on better terms with an argument they can win. But the original argument about the policy of B is left unresolved. Even worse, resolution is now impossible because side A and side B aren’t even arguing about the same thing anymore. (See this post for other kinds of bad logic.)

Children At the Border

children, tu quoqueFor example, side A argued that the policy (held by side B) of separating children from their parents at the border is really, really bad. But instead of discussing the merits of the policy, side B accuses side A of being hypocrites because side A originated the policy years ago! “You’re just as bad as us!” But this, while perhaps true, misses the point completely. The original question is, “Should we continue separating children from their parents?” not, “Who is to blame for this bad policy?” What side B should have done, right from the start, is either defend the policy or admit that the policy is bad and change it, rather than try to return fire. This would be good, helpful conversation and debate. (Also, some people on side B did defend the policy by saying, “Well, it’s the law!” But this amounts to arguing that “this policy is the right policy because it is the current policy.” Try telling that to MLK!)

Please note that my point here is not about who was right. My point is about how one side argued badly. Who was correct is a completely different issue.

cake, tu quoqueBut I’m not letting side A off the hook that easily! When side B won a recent Supreme Court decision that made it (legally) permissible for a cake designer to refuse to make a cake for a gay wedding, side A was outraged. But then a new story came out: business owners on side A refused service to people who worked for the Trump administration. This unleashed a “You too!” tornado on social media. Both sides starting lobbing “you too” grenades at the other. Instead of debating whether it is right to refuse service, both sides said, “Your side did the same thing!” This simply avoids the actual issue.

It’s always a good idea to stop and think about the tactics you’re using to “win” a debate. Some tactics help us discover what is good, true and beautiful. Others only serve to distract, shut down, or silence our opponents.

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