# Same statement, but different speaker - ad hominem?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-statement-but-different-speaker-ad-hominem/830301>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 27, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-statement-but-different-speaker-ad-hominem/830301 "2019-02-27T16:30:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-statement-but-different-speaker-ad-hominem/830301/21 "2019-03-03T00:04:15Z")

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I think _ad hominem_ is a statement about an argument, or assertion. It’s a term for debating. If you interpret something differently based on who is saying it, that’s not _ad hominem_, because you are not putting forth an argument.

There is a dictum that ‘facts are facts, regardless of who says them’ but communication and discussion have more to them than just stating facts.

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