Whataboutery

About “Whataboutery.” A Taxonomy

Andrew Deaney on July 20, 2019, 9:11 am | Readers 2142

We’ve all seen it. It’s everywhere. Tune into Nolan. Load up your Twitter feed. Hell, look at comments on Slugger O’Toole. There it is – that pervasive, maddening incantation. It’s the ultimate stock answer, a rhetorical reflex, Ulster’s own version of Godwin’s law. Repeat after me… “BUT WHAT ABOUT??!” If you follow Northern Irish politics, you know about “Whataboutery”. It’s an infamous argumentative manoeuvre deployed by people on all teams. If someone puts forth an issue which makes one side …

West Belfast Talks Back … and listens attentively too

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on August 8, 2013, 7:30 am | Readers 101

West Belfast Talks Back was a relatively sedate affair last night with listening up and numbers slightly down on previous years. You can listen back in four parts. The star performer of the evening was UUP leader Mike Nesbitt who defied expectations and remained cool and calm throughout the nearly two hours of discussion. He addressed questions and comments on “unionism and the law”, parading, flags, the Ballymurphy massacre, onerous assessments for victims, mental health, welfare reform and equal marriage. …

Glossary: What is Whataboutery?

Mick Fealty on February 9, 2005, 8:05 pm | Readers 1024

Familiar to anyone who’s followed public debate on Northern Ireland. Some define it as the often multiple blaming and finger pointing that goes on between communities in conflict. Political differences are marked by powerful emotional (often tribal) reactions as opposed to creative conflict over policy and issues. It’s beginning to be known well beyond the bounds of Northern Ireland. Nice illustrative piece from the archives by the late Jack Holland.Some years back the BBC quoted Cardinal Cahal Daly as having …