Left-Wing Mailbag, "Godwin's Law Bites Man in Ass" Edition

J-G Letters page, 2/14/2008

Invoking ‘Nazis’ admits defeat

Regarding John Strathmore’s letter, “Ban reminds one of Nazis” (Feb. 1): Is this how devoid of argument the smoke-lovers are that they have to resort to the ultimate ad hominem attack of calling those they don’t agree with “Nazis”?

In the world of online discussion, there is a phenomenon known as “Godwin’s Law,” which states that as a discussion continues, the probability of someone comparing his or her opponent to Hitler or the Nazi Party rises to the point of inevitability. As a corollary to Godwin’s Law, there is a long-standing rule that any person making this comparison has, in essence, admitted defeat, as it proves he or she is out of logical arguments.

That Strathmore would compare those of us who want to breathe clean, smoke-free air to a fascist regime that murdered millions because of the delusions of one wholly insane man proves that he is either incapable of arguing in good faith or that he has so little regard for those who suffered through the actual Third Reich or lost family members to the Holocaust that he should rightfully come off as heartless.

DAMIAN HOOD Garrett

Now who's the clever fellow who wrote that?