Attacking the person

Nearly every day now we read in the newspaper about the president denigrating other country and world leaders, including name-calling. We read about Trump tweeting to “Rocket Man” that Trump has “a much bigger and more powerful” nuclear button than North Korea. We read speculation that Trump will start a nuclear war to detract attention from alleged collusion with Russia to influence the U.S. elections.

I can’t believe we have reached the point where the CDC is planning sessions about how to prepare for nuclear war. How did we get in such a precarious state?

Perhaps it should start with looking at qualifications for president. Why vote for someone whose behavior wouldn’t be tolerated even in kindergarten? Or someone who would fail a high school debate class?

In high school debate class, you learn that name-calling is not allowed in debates. It is considered an ad hominem fallacy of logic for attacking the person rather than the argument. Quite simply, calling someone a belittling name stops rational thought. So instead of me calling Trump a bad name, I should instead focus on his

actions that have put the world in grave danger of a nuclear holocaust.

No one wins a nuclear war that could wipe out millions of innocent people in seconds. And once that first bomb detonates, where would it stop with an estimated 14,900 nuclear weapons in the world?

Trump fails to understand the concept of mutually assured destruction. That is another very valid reason why he should not be our president. BECKY GILLETTE

Eureka Springs