-I support Trump
-If Donald Trump is a racist, he's bad.
-but that would make ME bad
-but I am GOOD
-therefore, Trump is not a racist
Protection of self-identity is all.
-I believe this guy
-if this guy is a con artist, that makes me a schmuck
-I am NOT a schmuck, I CAN'T be, I am a smart person
-so this person is not a con artist.
The only reason you, I, or ANYONE has not been the victim of a hustle is that we haven't met our predator. Yet.
Belief in things which reinforce our self-identification (never mind the multi-factor chaos of how THAT was formed) comes first. Always.
Rationalization (Reason). Comes. Second.
It's a well-worn truism, but worth saying over and over again.