Wilson needs logic lessons before writing columns
Logic students take note: Kendrick Wilson strikes again. He first mentions that some groups have protested renaming the Economics building after CŽsar Ch‡vez. He then describes how the KKK called Martin Luther King a communist. He then concludes that the groups protesting Ch‡vez are actually against the empowerment of immigrant farm workers, not communism. In informal logic, we call such pseudo-arguments "smokescreen" or "red herring" fallacies. What Wilson has done is changed the subject, rather than arguing for his views. Between implicit and explicit, however, is an assertion that the students protesting Ch‡vez are furtive racists. Where is the argument here? Mr. Wilson, pick your battles wisely. The main protesting group was the Student Objectivist Society. Objectivist philosophy is radically opposed to collectivism, and its founder describes racism as the crudest form of collectivism. The Objectivists were protesting because they don't like coercion, and they believe Ch‡vez was coercive. If you disagree, argue with that, but don't accuse them of being racists without ground. It's a shameful tactic that speaks poorly of your integrity, Mr. Wilson.
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