Both Sides of an Argument

 “It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.”

― Carl Sagan

We like to play "fair". We like to look at both sides of an argument. We try to understand what the "other side" says.

But sometimes there is no "other side".

How can there be an "other side" when a thirsty child is trashed for drinking water, or a couple is lynched for falling in love?

By seeking the "other side", we are giving legitimacy to brutality.

If we were truly 'liberal' we would condemn without hesitation.

Attempting to give equal space to all arguments on a particular forum is also unfair.

When the Church argued that both Creation and Evolution should be taught in schools, it was dismissed because Evolution doesn't get equal time in Sunday schools.

There are countless similar examples where you cannot push for both sides having equal time in a particular space.

No, I am not saying that either side is always right, and the other side is always wrong. All I am saying is that we need to be able to use our discretion in deciding when to argue for "the other side" and when not to.