David and I return from our separate vacations last week for a discussion of "bothsides-ism" and "whatabout-ism," two concepts that have been much in the news since the tragedy in Charlottesville while we were away. Rather than delve into the specifics of the present controversy - which you have no doubt heard enough of by now - we step back and discuss the general concepts in an effort to understand what they accomplish and when (if ever) they should be used.

Bonus: We learn what David's impression of a Southern Belle sounds like (it makes less sense in context).

Links:

The WaPo article on similar statues - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/why-those-confederate-soldier-statues-look-a-lot-like-their-union-counterparts/2017/08/18/cefcc1bc-8394-11e7-ab27-1a21a8e006ab_story.html?utm_term=.fca53fab3b94

The First Total War - https://www.amazon.com/First-Total-War-Napoleons-Warfare/dp/0618919813