The History of Blaming 'Both Sides' and Why Language Matters

By
Shumita Basu
WNYC News | Aug 16, 2017

As President Trump faces renewed criticism for his handling of the recent violent white supremacist march in Charlottesville, one thing is becoming very clear: Language matters.

The President first faced heat for not being quick to condemn the hate groups, instead blaming “many sides”. Then on Monday, he delivered a statement with what many considered the "right language," however late, but followed it Tuesday by again placing blame on "both sides."

Kevin M. Kruse, Princeton historian and the author of White Flight, spoke to WNYC's Richard Hake about how this sort of false equivalency has an important historical precedent.

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Shumita Basu

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