About This Site

Figaro rips the innards out of things people say and reveals the rhetorical tricks and pratfalls. For terms and definitions, click here.
(What are figures of speech?)
Ask Figaro a question!

Search

« Negative Sunnis Are Not Very Positive | Main | We’ll Make You an Intern if You Wear a Thong »
Friday
19Aug

Uncle Sparky's Cabin

DateFriday, August 19, 2005 at 03:11PM
peta5.jpgQuote: “Just as it was always wrong to oppress and abuse less powerful humans, it is wrong to abuse and oppress animals.” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in a new “Animal Liberation” promotion

Figure of Speech:   non sequitor, the stray argument

Sure it’s wrong to abuse animals, unless you count Johnny Knoxville as an animal.  But to equate “animal oppression” with slavery, as PETA does, constitutes a non sequitor:  while each part of the argument can be true, the one doesn’t support the other.  PETA’s side-by-side photos of lynched African-Americans and animal carcasses won’t convert many meat-eaters, but persuasion isn’t the only reason for a rhetorical argument.  Moving the already-decided to action is another.  

Figaro loves animals himself.  Even as he writes, he has one lying painlessly on the Weber grill.

Snappy Answer:  “Humans don’t make me hungry.”

Got a snappier answer?  Email Figaro.

AuthorFigaro | CommentPost a Comment |

PrintView Printer Friendly Version

EmailEmail Article to Friend

Reader Comments

There are no comments for this journal entry. To create a new comment, use the form below.

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
All HTML will be escaped. Hyperlinks will be created for URLs automatically.