Description: As a rhetorical tactic, A few of My Finest Pals Are is to try to refute an accusation of bigotry or prejudice towards a gaggle by claiming to have a optimistic relationship with a member of that group. As a fallacy of reasoning, the error is to deduce that such an alleged relationship proves that an individual just isn’t bigoted or biased towards that group. The generic type of the fallacy is as follows:
Premise 1: Particular person A says or does X, which appears to be bigoted or prejudiced towards Group G.
Premise 2: Particular person A claims they’ve a optimistic relationship with a member of Group G.
Conclusion: Particular person A (or X) just isn’t bigoted or prejudiced towards Group G.
That is fallacious as a result of even when an individual does have a optimistic relationship with a member of a gaggle, it doesn’t observe that they, what they mentioned or what they did just isn’t prejudiced or bigoted.
Most likely the best-known use of this fallacy is when somebody responds to an accusation of racism towards Black folks by asserting that some of their best friends are Black. This fallacy can also be utilized in circumstances of sexism, corresponding to when a person claims that they, what they mentioned or what they did can’t be sexist as a result of they’ve a daughter, a spouse, or a mom that they love. Naturally, it might even be a fallacy if a lady asserted that they, what they mentioned or what they did can’t be sexist as a result of they’ve a son, a husband, or a father that they love.
Since this reasoning lacks logical drive, it depends on psychological drive. This fallacy can simply happen in good religion when an individual actually believes that their optimistic relationship with a member of a gaggle signifies that they aren’t prejudiced towards that group. In such circumstances, an individual may do or say one thing that’s bigoted out of ignorance. Whereas checking out the ethics of such ignorant and unintentional bigotry is definitely worthwhile, it’s nonetheless bigotry. As such, the fallacy would nonetheless happen in such circumstances.
This fallacy can also be utilized in unhealthy religion in various levels. Individuals are difficult and an individual can sincerely have a optimistic relationship with a member of a gaggle whereas additionally being prejudiced towards that group. Slave house owners usually claimed to like or care for his or her slaves, and a few of them might need been honest whereas additionally seeing the slaves as property. A sexist can love their partner whereas additionally pondering of them as inferior. Folks can, in fact, additionally lie about such relationship being optimistic and thus have interaction in a number of acts of unhealthy religion when utilizing this fallacy. However whether or not the declare of a optimistic relationship is honest or a calculated lie, the reasoning continues to be flawed.
Protection: To keep away from inflicting this fallacy on your self, the principle protection is to remember that even when you do have a optimistic relationship with a member of a gaggle, this doesn’t entail that you simply can’t be or do or say one thing bigoted. On this case, trustworthy evaluation is the most effective protection. To keep away from falling for the fallacy when it’s used towards you, the principle protection is preserving in thoughts that even when an individual does have a optimistic relationship with a member of a gaggle, this doesn’t entail that they can’t be a bigot or that what they mentioned or did is thus not prejudiced.
As all the time, checking out whether or not the particular person utilizing the fallacy is performing in unhealthy religion could be helpful is lowering its psychological drive. This includes assessing whether or not they do have such a optimistic relationship and whether or not or not they’re knowingly utilizing this tactic.
Instance #1
Governor: “I do know these faculty images of me in blackface look unhealthy, however I guarantee you I’m not a racist. I grew up in a various city and had black mates as a child. After I went to school, I had black mates. I’ve black mates now and plenty of of my fellow Democrats are black.”
Instance #2
Reporter: “Senator, there are critics who say that your invoice is sexist and can harm ladies in some ways.”
Senator: “Title a method this invoice will harm ladies.”
Reporter: “Nicely, the critics say it cuts funding for packages like WIC and redefines sexual harassment so narrowly that…”
Senator: “Nicely, I say to my critics that I really like my spouse and two daughters. How may a person who loves his daughters a lot be a sexist? Or do something to harm ladies?”
Reporter: “Nicely, your critics say you possibly can try this by passing this invoice.”
Senator: “You lame stream media are the true drawback.”
Instance #3
Diocletian: “We need to remove the Christians from the army as a part of my Make Rome Nice Once more plan. Plus, I’ve many concepts, corresponding to coping with these Manicheans.”
Dionysus: “That appears a bit prejudiced.”
Diocletian: “Nonsense! A few of my greatest mates are Christians. The truth is, my favourite slave is a Christian.”
Dionysus: “So why take away them from the military?”
Diocletian: “All a part of restoring the glory of the empire.”
