Pulitzer Prize winning Journalist Leonard Pitts Jr. has been exposed in a blatant breach of journalistic ethics, namely, the use of several logical fallacies in order to twist the truth of the matter to deceive his readers.
In his June 23, 2015 article titles “Leonard Pitts Jr.: A racist hate crime, pure and simple“, Pitts employs the use of the logical fallacy known as “Black-or-White Thinking”. Given the context of the article, the irony will not be missed by many, but the term “Black or White” refers to what is also known as a “False Dilemma Logical Fallacy”, as opposed to having anything to do with the color of skin.
Reduced to its simplest form,Leonard Pitts Jr. word-crime in this instance is where he presented two alternatives or interpretations as the only possibilities. Although not expressly stated, it appears that Pitt is using intellectual dishonesty in a veiled attempt to goad his readers into concluding that Glenn Beck, and others who wondered about the true motive for the Charleston church murders, are either (A) stupid or (B) in denial. Another famous example of the use of a Black-or-White logical fallacy was when Pres. George W Bush said “You’re either with us, or you’re with the terrorists”; when in fact there are many alternative positions that third parties might have taken. Such as simply wanting to mind their own business.
Black or White, also known as the False Dilemma, this insidious tactic has the appearance of forming a logical argument, but under closer scrutiny it becomes evident that there are more possibilities than the either/or choice that is presented. Binary, black-or-white thinking doesn’t allow for the many different variables, conditions, and contexts in which there would exist more than just the two possibilities put forth. It frames the argument misleadingly and obscures rational, honest debate. Ref: yourlogicalfallacyis.com
My family are going out in a few minutes, I don’t have time to complete this and layout the other logical fallacies that Pitt used, but I’ll try to get to it later tonight.
~About the author:
Michael Roberts is a journalist and licensed private investigator. He is passionate about the truth and exposing duplicity and bias in mainstream media.
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