A form of Miranda Bias where one treats the person making an argument as if they were the defendant on trial, demanding they prove their innocence or justify their right to speak. The fallacy lies in reversing the burden of proof—placing the person raising a concern in the position of having to defend themselves rather than the position they're criticizing. "What gives you the right to complain?" becomes a way of avoiding the complaint entirely. This fallacy is common in power-laden contexts where questioning authority is treated as itself an offense requiring justification.
Example: "He questioned the policy, and instead of addressing his points, they demanded he prove he wasn't just bitter about a personal grudge. Argumentum Ad Reum: treating the questioner as the defendant."
by Dumu The Void March 16, 2026
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