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Jason Mathias

Democrats are the party of racism, Republicans are the party of freeing slaves and civil rights.

Democrats are the party of racism, Republicans are the party of freeing slaves and civil rights. Because Lincoln was a Republican, and the founders of the KKK were democrats. Therefore, the democrats of today are the racists and the republicans of today are actually not racist like the racist lying democrats want you to believe for nefarious reasons. And therefore Trump is not racist, but Biden is a racist.

This argument ignores political realignment, the fact that people holding an ideology can switch parties. Republican and democrat are both political parties, not ideologies. Parties consist of a group of people with the same ideology, but the ideologies can switch parties over time. This argument conflates political parties to ideologies and then to individuals. So, what fallacy is that?

The right wing conservative ideology is the racist ideology, and the liberal progressive ideology is the ideology that opposes racism, historically and presently. 

asked on Friday, Sep 04, 2020 05:08:16 PM by Jason Mathias

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Dr. Richard writes:

I don't understand what the question is. To me, this is a confusingly written statement.

posted on Saturday, Sep 05, 2020 11:05:52 AM

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Answers

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Bo Bennett, PhD
2

I see three arguments here:

Lincoln was a Republican and the founders of the KKK were democrats. Therefore, Democrats are the party of racism, Republicans are the party of freeing slaves and civil rights.

This is a form of the etymological fallacy based on how we are defining "Democrats" and "Republicans." I say "form" because it isn't the definition that changed per se, but what the party stands for. In a broader sense, we are going from a "was" to an "is." At the least, this conclusion is a non sequitur .

The Democrats are the party of racism, Republicans are the party of freeing slaves and civil rights. Therefore, the democrats of today are the racists and the republicans of today are actually not racist like the racist lying democrats want you to believe for nefarious reasons.

This is just a rephrasing of the first argument, with some poisoning the well thrown in.

The democrats of today are the racists and the republicans of today are actually not racist like the racist lying democrats want you to believe for nefarious reasons. Therefore, Trump is not racist, but Biden is a racist. 

This argument takes on the problems with the first two arguments, then adds in the fallacy of division . Trump is a member of the set "Republicans." As a group, (so the claim goes), the Republicans are not the group of racists, therefore, Trump isn't. This conclusion is fallacious.

answered on Saturday, Sep 05, 2020 07:46:01 AM by Bo Bennett, PhD

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Jason Mathias writes:

Etymological fallacy, cool I wasn't aware of that one. Thanks!

This argument is a sneaky one that I see tricking a lot of people out there. 

Is there a fallacy regarding the conflation between political party and ideology?

posted on Saturday, Sep 05, 2020 08:12:29 AM
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Bo Bennett, PhD writes:
[To Jason Mathias ]

Is there a fallacy regarding the conflation between political party and ideology? 

I would say this falls more toward the factual error. Fact: a political party is not an ideology. It is a misunderstanding.

[ login to reply ] posted on Saturday, Sep 05, 2020 09:11:16 AM
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mchasewalker
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Chronological Snobbery.

As you've correctly pointed out the claim relies upon an earlier platform of the GOP and Dixiecrats rather than the current present-day realities of both parties.     

answered on Saturday, Sep 05, 2020 01:07:10 PM by mchasewalker

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DrBill
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I don't see a question here.

answered on Tuesday, Sep 08, 2020 07:16:04 AM by DrBill

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Jason Mathias writes:

"So, what fallacy is that?"

 

posted on Tuesday, Sep 08, 2020 11:47:34 AM
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DrBill writes:
[To Jason Mathias ]

I didn't see one.

[ login to reply ] posted on Tuesday, Sep 08, 2020 12:39:59 PM