[Swagman]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-19/controversy-over-cory-bernardi-bestiality-comments/4269604

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is facing calls to sack his parliamentary secretary Cory Bernardi, after he suggested allowing gay marriage could lead to social acceptance of polygamy and bestiality.

During a Senate debate last night Senator Bernardi said the push for same sex marriage was coming from "radicals" who are determined to overturn the social fabric of Australian society.

And he questioned where the campaign would end, if society was prepared to redefine marriage based on the "latest criterion" that it should be allowed irrespective of gender.

"The next step, quite frankly, is having three people or four people that love each other being able to enter into a permanent union endorsed by society - or any other type of relationship," Senator Bernardi said.

"There are even some creepy people out there... [who] say it is okay to have consensual sexual relations between humans and animals.

"Will that be a future step? In the future will we say, 'These two creatures love each other and maybe they should be able to be joined in a union?'

"I think that these things are the next step."

The PC brigade will undoubtedly have a fit over this.......but it's certainly a valid comment IMO.

Just because you can doesn't mean you do.........

[Swagman]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-19/controversy-over-cory-bernardi-bestiality-comments/4269604

.........he has fallen on his sword. That was damned quick.

He still made a valid point in my book.

[Notorious B.i.G.]

A valid point? How the fuck did he make a valid point. I want you to demonstrate that it is a valid point. How is it valid.
And if you come up with crap like 'it's a slippery slope' that is not an argument. How does same-sex marriage compare in any way shape or form to bestiality.

It's the most retarded point that can made in the debate. It’s scrapping the very bottom of the barrel. Absolutely fucking retarded and anyone who actually believes that same-sex marriage will lead to bestiality is a retard as well.

[Swagman]

As I said "Just because you can doesn't mean you do......... "

If society approves of same sex marriage (a social taboo) then the next step may well be approval of other social taboos such as incest, etc etc.

It's a perfectly valid question and crucifying the messenger is wrong and an over-reaction IMO........

[Notorious B.i.G.]

No Swagman. Failure. Try again.

You can't have any incest based relationship, you can't have any bestiality based relationship.
So there is no, "just because you can"... because you can’t

To say society will approve one thing will lead to another is ridiculous. Mainly because your other examples are actually illegal in all forms.

BDSM is a social taboo, but a sexual act performed by two consenting adults. Should we outlaw that? The next step from BDSM could be bestiality.

Maybe we should outlaw the ‘doggie style’ sexual position, because then the next step may well be approval of bestiality.

I'll ask again. How does same-sex mirage compare to bestiality.

[GandalfTheGrey]

If society approves of same sex marriage (a social taboo) then the next step may well be approval of other social taboos such as incest, etc etc.

It's a perfectly valid question and crucifying the messenger is wrong and an over-reaction IMO........

Here's why I think its not valid swag:

same-sex relationships are now considered as acceptable in our society as hetero relationships.

Bestiality is not in any way shape or form considered acceptable in our society. Most people are repulsed by it.

For the reasons given above, same sex marriage makes sense, bestiality marriage does not. By drawing any sort of comparison between the two, the only possible message Mr Bernardi is sending is that same sex relationships are every bit as abhorrent as bestiality relationships. This comparison would be extremely offensive to any gay person.

[Notorious B.i.G.]

This comparison would be extremely offensive to any gay person.

Not to just gay people. Also to so many heterosexuals. Probably offensive to anyone who has two brain cells to rub together to generate an articulated and evidenced base opinion.

[Swagman]

Here's why I think its not valid swag:

same-sex relationships are now considered as acceptable in our society as hetero relationships.

Well thanks GTG you totally make Bernardi's point valid with that little quote.

The operative word being "now". What's to say that society doesn't shift again in the future to remove other taboos such as incest etc?

[Notorious B.i.G.]

The operative word being "now". What's to say that society doesn't shift again in the future to remove other taboos such as incest etc?

because your other examples are actually illegal in all forms.

And because Australian's aren't idiots who actually think that incest and bestiality are acceptable.
Come on Swaggers, is this the best you can come up with?

Again, BDSM is a taboo, should we outlaw that too? Because we don't society shifting to where people will walk around the street whipping each other all day, do we now?

[unbalanced zealot]

You can tell from his facial expression in this picture, that's he's thinking about it right there and then. He's picturing it in his mind's eye.

Both he and Mitt Romney have self-destructed in recent days basically because of who they are as people, all they needed was a forum and a microphone. It's kind of cool that when they are given enough rope they don't even have the common sense not to put it around their neck.

[Notorious B.i.G.]

You can tell from his facial expression in this picture, that's he's thinking about it right there and then. He's picturing it in his mind's eye.

LMAO, yes you can see it.

Both he and Mitt Romney have self-destructed in recent days

Yes, but...

basically because of who they are as people,

... No.
Bernardi is a troglodytic tool. Romney isn’t that bad. He is being pushed from behind to say stupid things and to be more conservative re:fundamental.

[Rei Murasame]

The operative word being "now". What's to say that society doesn't shift again in the future to remove other taboos such as incest etc?

You specifically mentioned bestiality, but now it has become "incest ect"?

[Suska]

When marriage is just whatever you get off on it isn't Christian marriage. When it clearly isn't about Christian marriage, and it can be anything you want, it will - i have no doubt at all - go places Christian people would prefer to not even have heard about. You may say that is democracy but democracy has no right to marriage in the first place. It's not about finding someone to get your rocks off with, its much much more than romantic love, and gay marriage is just an inappropriate way of protesting against straight living.

[unbalanced zealot]

I agree that Romney isn't the same as Bernadi.

But his video comments did reflect who he is as a person. I thought the ones about the Chinese factory girls were quite telling, in that he didn't follow up with anything like how it might be ethical to improve those working conditions. A fair reply to Romney's utterances may be to argue that his views are being distorted by a flawed ideology. A fair reply to Bernadi's would be 'just get the fuck away from me, go kill yourself, and the world would be a better place'. Which isn't too far off what his own party told him.

[GandalfTheGrey]

The operative word being "now". What's to say that society doesn't shift again in the future to remove other taboos such as incest etc?

Like Rei said, the OP says bestiality - why are you only mentioning incest now? Are you trying to "tone down" Cory's argument? I'll be sticking to bestiality - since thats what Corey specifically mentioned, and I think thats a whole different kettle of fish to incest.

As for your question, lets wait for bestiality to be accepted by society first before we start fear mongering about bestiality-marriage. Because until then, no one is going to be interested in campaigning for bestiality marriage. And basically, it will never become accepted by society.

[Rei Murasame]

No no, allowing 7up to be a drink-choice at school cafeterias, what might happen next? Allowing nightshade and cocaine to be handed out as condiments?

Are you scared right now, Gandalf? Because I'm pretty scared. Swagman has scared us all, and now we just have to vote for these guys! [!]

It's a slippery slope, the slipperiest of all slippery slopes, it's like it starts with allowing children to eat chocolate, and ends with the entire world being destroyed by Strontium-flavoured M&Ms.

[Notorious B.i.G.]

Are you scared right now, Gandalf? Because I'm pretty scared. Swagman has scared us all, and now we just have to vote for these guys! [!]

I'm scared that anyone voted for him in the first place. Not sure how familiar you are with Senator Bernardi but this isn’t isolated (the worst by not isolated) incident.

[Rei Murasame]

I'm not familiar with him, but from the way he's being described, he sounds a bit like a clone of Rick Santorum, which is seriously horrifying.

[Swagman]

The operative word being "now". What's to say that society doesn't shift again in the future to remove other taboos such as incest etc?

Like Rei said, the OP says bestiality - why are you only mentioning incest now? Are you trying to "tone down" Cory's argument? I'll be sticking to bestiality - since thats what Corey specifically mentioned, and I think thats a whole different kettle of fish to incest.

As for your question, lets wait for bestiality to be accepted by society first before we start fear mongering about bestiality-marriage. Because until then, no one is going to be interested in campaigning for bestiality marriage. And basically, it will never become accepted by society.

Regardless of what or the offensive taboos are or their degree of offensiveness the point being made remains the same.

Condone one taboo and society is leaving the way open for the rest to inevitably follow. It is a valid point.

[Rei Murasame]

Well, I don't see how 'incest' came up anyway. Isn't it already legal to marry your cousin in Australia? That's not a thing that Western societies think is a norm, as it is called 'incest' by them, but somehow it is happening, right?

If people belatedly decided to have a problem with it, then they need to talk to East Asian and South Asian residents about it (note: it is a conversation that will be difficult to have). If Australians have decided to call it something bad, they can't possibly blame cousin-marriage on the existence of gay people who showed up and asked about gay marriage about 40 years after that.

It wouldn't make chronological sense.