Letter: Prose can’t erase argument’s fallacies

Thursday, Oct. 29, 1998 | 11:17 a.m.

Contributor Daniel Olivier is such a good writer it is easy to overlook fallacies in his arguments, such as his Oct. 26 letter.

The latest is his taking on the military for its taking on the president, calling the military "the most adulterous collection of whoremongers on Earth." True or not, from this we are supposed to skip over any and all sins of the president?

Olivier's fallacy lies in disregarding that the sins of the president that have him in hot water have little or nothing to do with committing whoremongering or sexual immorality, but in his alleged criminal activity in lying about it, and abusing his powers, when brought before the bar of justice to answer a lawsuit.

The military has the best reason possible to question a leader entrusted to send them into battle who can't tell the truth, whether about zipperitis or genuine threats to national security. And that's no fallacy.

Leo D. Tafolla

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