# Accusing a Group of Malice in GD

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accusing-a-group-of-malice-in-gd/1006062>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [August 22, 2024, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accusing-a-group-of-malice-in-gd/1006062 "2024-08-22T20:42:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 10

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accusing-a-group-of-malice-in-gd/1006062/181 "2024-09-11T19:23:52Z")

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> [@Max\_S](#):
>
> The question, if you make any of these statements, is whether you are speaking generally or universally.

That was literally not the question. I encourage you to go back and reread that post, to see what the question literally was. Hell, you even quoted the question; you could read what you quoted.

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**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accusing-a-group-of-malice-in-gd/1006062/182 "2024-09-11T19:28:47Z")

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> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#):
>
> To be fair, I think Max\_S is also arguing for making conservatives a protected class (via the don’t-attack-the-poster route).

I’m very much against conservatives being made a protected class.

~Max

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**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accusing-a-group-of-malice-in-gd/1006062/183 "2024-09-11T19:30:44Z")

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> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#):
>
> That was literally not the question.

What I meant was, the answer to your question depends in part on the answer to my question. In all three cases you shouldn’t have to worry about whether members of those groups are on the board.

~Max

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**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accusing-a-group-of-malice-in-gd/1006062/184 "2024-09-11T20:14:18Z")

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> [@Max\_S](#):
>
> The context in which that quote appears makes clear that it refers to individuals, such as public figure X:

Well, since website ToS are generally considered to be a contract, I’d argue that conventions around **[construction](https://www.lawinsider.com/clause/singular-and-plural)** apply. To wit:

> Wherever the singular is used in the Common Agreement, the same shall be construed as meaning the plural if the context requires unless otherwise specifically stated. Singular and Plural. Words used herein in the singular, where the context so permits, shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa.

> [@Max\_S](#):
>
> In _this particular_ instance, i.e. “with conservatives it’s always about malice”, the conclusion is actually based on deduction and not a generalization at all.

And with this, I would simply disagree.

Aside from rank tautologies (ie, “Every Republican is a Republican”), I think you’d have to look far, hard, and deeply – particularly on this website – for anybody’s generalization to intend to include _every single member_ of an extremely large (ie, millions of people) group.

But we’re in reruns on this point now, Max, so I’ll bow out.

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