Why do leftists use "right wing people do it too" as a defense?

[Anonymous]

Say I ask a question about leftists doing something. Then I get answers along the lines of "Right wingers do it too" as if that defends or excuse leftists doing it.

Is it their way of telling us anyone who thinks leftists are better than right wingers are wrong?
Perhaps they mean to tell us that when a right winger use a "leftists do it too" we should consider that a great justification of of right wingers doing the same they claim leftists do?

[msmissydc]

It's not a defense at all; it doesn't make sense. If you try to use it as a defense, then it's just a strawman argument. On the other hand, criticizing leftists with something that right-wingers do as well is just hypocrisy. So yeah nothing about it makes sense.

[PhillyPhil]

Funny it was the mags that came up with the “what aboutism”. Lol

[msmissydc]

Yes, right wingers do it all the time, I agree.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

I think the point of the statement is pointing out the hypocrisy in criticizing one party’s actions when it’s a direct mirror of what’s happening on the other side. It’s not to justify it, they’re just telling you that your argument is flawed.

[DrPepper12]

All who debate often fall victim to this (and many other) logical fallacies.

[Agape93]

Because it's a valid defense. Why do you get to criticize X when you also do X? It's hypocrisy. Made worse when people try to justify it or pretend it isn't.

[Anonymous]

This doesn't sound like a very big problem or a common occurrence. If a thing being done is wrong, it's wrong no matter who does it on whatever "side".

[Anonymous]

The right wing does the same thing too.