Moral Equivalence
When someone suggests that two significantly different actions, situations, or behaviors are morally the same or comparable, despite clear differences in scale, context, or severity.
Examples
- You're upset that I lied about where I was last night, but you once told your friend her haircut looked good when you didn't really like it. So, you lied too.
- Disciplining a child with a time-out is the same as psychological torture. Both involve emotional distress.
- Jaywalking and armed robbery are both breaking the law. If you've ever jaywalked, you have no right to criticize criminals.