Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy

The Texas sharpshooter fallacy is an informational fallacy where differences in data are ignored, but similarities, no matter how few, are stressed. From this way of thinking, false conclusions are always inferred. After doing some research on the Texas sharpshooter fallacy, the first thing that came to mind was people who deny climate change. Unfortunately, this accounts for a lot of people, mainly consisting of conservative minded people, and Republican politicians. This including our current President, and much, if not all of his administration.

The fallacy most likely applies more to the non politicians. They have little to no interest in claiming to not believing in something that is overwhelmingly supported by scientists for the sake of corporate interests. They do so because they hear those aforementioned politicians argue such things (usually for the sake of said corporate interests), and due to the utter lack of critical thinking and ability consider any viewpoint that may be considered "liberal" at the expense of their won ego. Yes, a frightening number of these people will ignore the opinions of the vast majority of climate scientists, who have dedicated their life to such a study, and listen to that smarmy Texas sharp shooter Ted Cruz barley being able to say he denies climate change with a straight face. They don't believe him necessarily because of his merits in climate science, but because of the "R" next to his name. All of this while Bill Nye the Science Guy blows a gasket.

Meanwhile, these politicians continue to take up space in the house and senate, take donations from big oil and coal companies, and look the other way when mountains of evidence is sitting right before them, that they may very well be killing their great great grandchildren in the name of greed.

The fallacy appears in many different ways. The obvious one is that many people will ignore the vast amount of evidence supporting climate change such as record temperatures, and melting ice caps while believing bullshit spewed by Republicans who are just trying to line their pockets. Another big one also includes people who are very loyal to a political party will disregard any kind of evidence that supports an idea of the opposing party, no matter how much of said evidence there is. The legalization of Marijuana; there is a vast amount of evidence indicating that legalization does not have many, if any, harmful effect on the economy or community, yet conservatives still call it a "drug" and Republicans cringe at the fact of losing out on all of those big pharmaceutical company donations.

Until a larger majority of the American people start thinking more critically about issues that affect them and stop towing party lines, rich politicians with keep getting richer, and the American people will continue to get screwed over.