single word requests - A term for the object of insincere justification


Sometimes people make insincere arguments to justify an action (or inaction), based upon the impact to a particular group.


For example, a person might say "Building that sports arena near my house is irresponsible! Think of how many homeless people we could house with that money!" In truth, the person does not want the arena near his or her house, and does not really care about whether homeless people are housed or not. What is the term used to describe the homeless people in this situation?


Another example might be large industrial agriculture organizations defending government policies "to protect the family farm" when these organizations are not family farms and do not care about protecting family farms. What is the term used to describe family farms here?


The best term I can think of is "smokescreen", as in "Homeless people are being used as a smokescreen to hide other concerns about the sports arena" but this seems informal, and there are probably better phrases (formal or informal). What are they?



Answer



Your "smokescreen" is quite apt and easily understood in context.


If you're looking for another or different term, there is "pretext", or, more colorfully, a "stalking horse", defined by Oxford Dictionaries Online as:



Stalking horse, from a screen traditionally made in the shape of a horse behind which a hunter can stay concealed when stalking prey.


A false pretext concealing someone's real intentions.



Other candidates include:



  • Facade (and its synonyms charade, front, veneer, [false] show): an outward appearance that is maintained to conceal a less pleasant or creditable reality.

  • Cover story

  • Decoy



Aside: For the specific example you gave, see also NIMBY.


Also, in the very specific context of one person using another person to conceal either his homosexuality, his infidelity, or his identity in dubious transactions, consider beard.


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