Dangers of Whataboutism, Pt. 2

Let me start with a hypothetical example. Let’s say that you went into a store planning to steal something. Just as you tuck the item inside your coat a security officer comes up and nabs you.“Wait a minute!” you say. “I’m not the only one who steals! What about that guy over in the next aisle? I just saw him take something, too!”

Um, I don’t think so. Maybe something more along the lines of, “Why, thank you! We’ll nab him, too. Hate to tell you this, but . . . his theft doesn’t excuse yours. Now if you’d just come this way we’ll get you fingerprinted.”So I’ve had a couple of “what about” comments on Facebook lately, which led to me think that I needed to write another post on this topic. One commenter said, in reference to an article about the danger of Trump’s ignoring information from the intelligence community, that Obama had ignored IC briefings also. And an article about the US abandonment of Ukraine garnered the comment that Obama had stabbed Israel in the back, which was much worse.

Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that these comments are pointing out completely equivalent situations: Obama ignored briefings at the same rate as Trump; Obama’s actions towards Israel and its enemies are exactly the same as Trump’s towards Ukraine and its foe, Vlad the Impaler.

To which I say: So what?

This is exactly the same reasoning that had Trump supporters saying after the Access Hollywood tapes were released: “What about Bill Clinton?”

To which I say: What about him? Why does his behavior excuse Donald Trump’s?

It’s the kind of thing makes me want to tear every hair out of my head. (If you happen to see me out and about and it looks as though I’m wearing a wig, you’ll know why.) Erik Erickson over at The Resurgent website tells about sitting in a church service and having a woman tell him very earnestly that Christians had to vote for Donald Trump, because King David committed adultery too, and God forgave him.

Say what?

This is the thought process that led to 81% of white evangelicals voting for the man whose ill-advised and dangerous actions are tearing this country apart. Even Michael Savage, the “Godfather of Trumpmania,” is saying that Trump is “moving much too fast and on the wrong issues.” Can you buh-leeve it?

Well, I’ll leave you with an article from yet another new fave, The Strident Conservative:

“Inexperienced President Building Ineperienced Security Council”