I actually looked up the words of Marcus Aurelius because I was deeply disturbed hearing a wealthy US politician claim that all members of the opposing party are "pedophiles."

This demonstrates the logical fallacy known as Ad Hominem, where you attack your opponent's character because you cannot refute their arguments.


It is also False Witness, one of the most serious sins in the Christian faith this person claims to be a member of.

Some may say I am talking politics, but this is not political to me. It's slander and defamation of someone's character. It's hate speech. I honestly don't understand why she isn't up on charges for saying such a thing. It only indicates the kind of false accusations that have become commonplace - perhaps they are being used on both sides, I don't know as I rarely read the news. However, they are absolutely not acceptable.


Plus the widespread use of a term like "pedophile" to attack political opponents is a distortion of what the term itself means. A pedophile is someone who is sexually attracted to children, and is often used to apply to someone who has committed sexual assault on children. It is NOT someone who supports the use of transgender education or whatever this politician was trying to connect it to.


To label someone a pedophile who is clearly not one is to muddy the serious implications of the term, to take away its meaning.


Only after reading Marcus Aurelius's words did I feel better, knowing that this politician clearly cannot tell the difference between good and evil. I doubt that she is conscious that she is evil. Who knows? But anyone who believes her is being led down that path also.