Wednesday, June 06, 2007

I think I understand the lefties' double standard.

I just sent this message to Dave Thompson on AM1500[.com].

I don't like it, or agree with it, but I see what they're up to.

They don't have any standards for themselves, but some of them know that we do have standards for ourselves. They think it's the funnest game in the world to get us to oust our heroes, past and present, by pointing out their peccadillos. Or, since "peccadillos" means "little sins," their "peccas." [You might not want to read that on the air. I've led you astray before.]

For example, they can get us to oust Thomas Jefferson as a hero, but they get to keep him, because they worship peccadillos as those things that bring geniuses down to their own level. Or so they like to think.

Of course, EVEN IF Thomas Jefferson was a sinner, it is no proof of the truth or falsity of his writings. To say so is to commit the ad hominem fallacy, better known these days as a personal attack.

Which is much beloved of Marxists, especially when they use the "follow the money" argument. One counter to that argument, as the Public Choice economists have shown, is to "follow the power."

There are, of course, other counters to Marxist arguments. Von Mises presents the best ones.

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