Anatomy of a right-wing argument

It all started when I happened to see this little statistic:



Which I then "Tweeted" with the caption "Fuck you, NRA" in reference to the fact that the NRA is the primary reason why every state doesn't have these background checks.

  Professor Chaos ‏@akaProfessorCha 
Fuck you, NRA. Photo:. http://tmblr.co/Zcae-xyg7lsR

Then about a day later, I get a "reply" or whatever from someone calling himself "Libtard=Derp" which is a pretty good indication of the kind of flawless arguments that are to come.

Libtard = Derp ‏@CobraTheCdr
Better idea? Women use their brains and stop dating psychopaths. #derp @akaProfessorCha

So, there's step one in the conservative argument technique. Blame the victim(s). The problem isn't the guys who murder their wives or girlfriends, the problem is the wives and girlfriends being foolish enough to get themselves murdered. Or something.


So, I was dumb enough to respond.


Professor Chaos ‏@akaProfessorCha 
@CobraTheCdr Sure, if women were just smarter about dating, we'd have no reason to keep guns out of the hands of psychos! *eyeroll*

So I was treated to step two: the straw man.

Libtard = Derp ‏@CobraTheCdr
You make it sound like women are too stupid to know a psychopath. Are you sexist? @akaProfessorCha

Because if you can't refute the actual argument, make up a different argument that you can refute, even if it has nothing to do with what the other person has actually said!





Professor Chaos ‏@akaProfessorCha
@CobraTheCdr I didn't say anything that sounded remotely like that. I think you know that. I'm assuming you're not stupid.

Libtard = Derp ‏@CobraTheCdr
Aren't there better ways to stop this besides gun control? @akaProfessorCha

Ah, changing the subject and going with the completely baseless assumption that gun control is a sort of extreme radical approach to gun safety that really shouldn't even be considered until we've exhausted all other options like "doing nothing" and "getting women to only date non-murderers."

And for some reason, I opted to continue the discussion:

Professor Chaos ‏@akaProfessorCha 
@CobraTheCdr No.

And when all else fails: bullshit.

Libtard = Derp ‏@CobraTheCdr
Of course not, using a failing method is the best method. @akaProfessorCha

Of course, if you remember how this whole discussion started, it was with a statistic that indicated that background checks are pretty much the opposite of a failing method.

  Professor Chaos ‏@akaProfessorCha 
@CobraTheCdr I would refer you back to the original statistic, background checks are absolutely not failing.

And I have yet to hear back from him.