A classic case of applying the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law.

The number of human beings in the West who can discern the difference and use wisdom and intelligence appears to be declining.

Everything is now either black or white.

What does that tell you about Anglo Western Culture?

I have always seen people - the same people - being able to use arguments based on letter or spirit of the law depending on the situation. I'm not seeing a trend towards one or the other.

Some call it hypocrisy - and normally the same people are capable of displaying hypocrisy in other arguments too.