Bestiality: Defending the Base and Degrading

We have sunk to defending the right to have sex with animals here in America. Can the fall of Rome be far behind?

I mean really are we so legalistic in this country that an abominable notion like screwing one's own dog is up for legal and moral discussion? And yet, over in the comment sexion at Sean Gleeson that's exactly what's happening.

Who are you to decide that sex with animals is wrong? Who are you to decide that marrying the football team is wrong? Who are you to decide that sex with an infant daughter is wrong?

Commenter Coyote sums up the spirit of the libertarian argument--which is why I can't be libertarian:

He was right! Just so all of you can think less of me, I have no problem legalizing prostitution, polygamy, pornography, incest, drug abuse, and bestiality involving consenting adults (kids, who by definition are not legally capable of making adult decisions, are a different legal matter). Here for example is my rant on legalizing prostitution. Here is my favorite ode to Polygamy. Here is my summary post on letting individuals run their own damn life.

When people come to tell you that it is OK for them to use coercion and force against you, but only to protect you from yourself, or even more nebulously to protect your “human dignity,” run away screaming. Here is a bet: Give me absolute dictatorial powers but limited only to things I could justify as “protecting human dignity” and I would have a full-bore fascist state built by the end of the week. Because that phrase can freaking mean anything at all. And it is always, always, always the person who makes such statements who envisions themselves (not you our me!) defining the terms.

I am not sure what my “dignity” is or where it rests, but please, as long as I am not hurting anyone else, leave the protection of it to me alone.

The key of course is what Coyote's definiton of "as long as I am not hurting anyone else". What is his definition of discomfort, pain, trauma?

The United States constitution, whether libertarians like it or not, took some religious principles for granted. A certain morality was assumed. A certain morality was understood to be the underpinnings of a society.

Who gets to decide these questions? The Christian God or your next door dog screwing, polygamist? (He owns a dog brothel.)

I'm no fan of witch trials or Nazis--the libertarian's feared result of a moral government run amok. I'm also no fan of creating a society by the least common denominator, where the rule we strive for is "as long as no one is harmed" and the definition of "harm" is murder.

Update: I just thought of another thing--even murder is okay as long as it's abortion and euthanasia.

Update II: More Bestiality in the news, courtesy Ace. Oh yes, our society keeps on improvin'. Oh, and here's a nice haiku to sum it up:

Humping a dead dog?
Another victimless crime.
One more freedom lost.

Posted by: Roy on October 23, 2006 06:44 PM