-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Floyd Lee Corkins II, 28, of Virginia shot and wounded Leo Johnson at the Family Research Council’s (FRC) Washington D.C. headquarters. Johnson prevented additional violence when he disarmed Corkins. Corkins’ backpack contained ammunition and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches. Johnson is doing well and there is no word on the fate of the sandwiches.

FRC president Tony Perkins said that Corkins was “was given a license” by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) which has labeled the FRC a “hate group.” The SPLC responded that Perkins’ claim is outrageous and that Perkins has said that pedophilia is “a homosexual problem” and that an FRC official said he wanted to criminalize homosexuality and “export homosexuals from the United States.”

Using Perkins’ logic, the FRC has given a “license” to those who do violence against LGBT individuals.

Perkins’ comments are a pathetic attempt to stifle criticism of the organization he heads. Perkins provides no evidence that Corkins has even heard of the SPLC or was aware of the “hate group” label. Perkins’ comments have provided the SPLC with more media coverage that it has received in years. Internet articles have provided links to SPLC’s justification for FRC’s “hate group” label allowing readers to make up their own minds.

Playing the victim card in response to SPLC’s “hate group” evidence makes Perkins come off as whiny.

Perkins also said that the SPLC:

labeled us a hate group because we defend the family and we stand for traditional, orthodox Christianity.

This is an example of the Straw Man fallacy, where the SPLC’s actual position is substituted with a fictitious version. The argument then proceeds against the fictitious position.

Perkins’ decision to draw additional media attention to SPLC’s “hate group” label is baffling. Perkins’ fallacious argument is indicative of a weak position that cannot deal with even a modicum of criticism.

The FRC is on the losing side of history regarding same-sex marriage. As philosopher Michael LaBossiere points out, “mixed-race and same-sex marriages seem morally analogous.” At another time in our past, the FRC would have made the same arguments in opposition to mixed-race marriage.

H/T: Ed Kilgore, POLIITCO (Mackenzie Weinger), Religion Dispatches (Evan Derkacz).