A definition of ad hominem attacks is this: "Overtly attacking somebody, or more subtly casting doubt on their character or personal attributes as a way to discredit their argument. The result of an ad hominem attack can be to undermine someone's case without actually having to engage with it." It can usually be found where reason is lost and emotions are found.
To avoid the temptation of saying something negative with too much emotion and too little reason, my late mother always told me "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" -- and, to her credit, I never heard her badmouth another person.
However, after hearing Donald Trump's comments about Senator John McCain's POW years, I can only follow my mother's advice by saying "I will NOT refer to Trump as a pompous, bombastic cowardly windbag, who brings shame to the Republican Party. So, out of respect for her, I will say nothing."
Nothing!
To avoid the temptation of saying something negative with too much emotion and too little reason, my late mother always told me "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" -- and, to her credit, I never heard her badmouth another person.
However, after hearing Donald Trump's comments about Senator John McCain's POW years, I can only follow my mother's advice by saying "I will NOT refer to Trump as a pompous, bombastic cowardly windbag, who brings shame to the Republican Party. So, out of respect for her, I will say nothing."
Nothing!
