Prepackaged Opinions.

Posted By Cliff Tuttle | July 23, 2009

Posted by Cliff Tuttle (c) 2009

When the news stories broke about a civil suit against Steeler Quarterback Ben Roethisberger, the radio talk shows went into high gear immediately.

It doesn’t surprise me anymore that a large number of people can express strong opinions on a topic like this when they haven’t heard any specific allegations, let alone a response, not to mention verified facts.

Here are samples of the type of reasoning one hears from opinionated but uninformed talk show callers, stripped to the essence:

MAJOR PREMISE: Male athletes are targets of fraudulent claims of sexual assault on women;
MINOR PREMISE: Roethlisberger is a male athlete.
CONCLUSION: Roethlisberger was a target of a fraudulent claim.

MAJOR PREMISE: Male athletes take advantage of opportunities to commit sexual assault on women.
MINOR PREMISE:Roethlisberger is a male athlete.
CONCLUSION: Roethlisberger took advantage of an opportunity to commit sexual assault on a woman.

You get the idea. The caller proceeds from an erroneous preconception to an erroneous conclusion. Then he becomes upset when everyone doesn’t agree.

There is a word for prepackaged opinions of this kind.

Prejudice.

CLT

Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

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