Political Irony

9 Comments

1. TENTHIRTYTWO wrote:

   A couple of things have always struck me as funny/sad about the slippery slope argument with regards to gay marriage. For whatever reason, I have heard this argument the most from people against gay marriage. That is to say, this is one they assert most frequently.

   First, slippery slope arguments are themselves pretty useless because it is difficult not only to prove that the slope exists (i.e. that THIS is the thing that sends us down into nonsense), but it is equally difficult to establish where the slope began. In other words, if there is a slippery slope to be found with regards to marriage, why couldn’t it have started between a man and a woman? “If you let a man and a woman get married, you are starting down a dangerous road! Just wait, they’ll eventually be wanting two men to be married!”

   Second, in this case slippery slope arguments just expose the bigotry of the person who asserts it by showing all of the things they consider on the same level as homosexuality. “What’s next?? Men marrying boys?” (equating gays and pedophiles) “Women marrying animals?” (equating homosexuality and bestiality).

   Many people who disagreed with this have had the good fortune to hear my Non-Racist Slippery Slope Argument Against the 15th Amendment (TM):

   “Now, I’m no racist, but if we allow blacks to vote, we are proceeding down a dangerous slippery slope. What’s next? My shovel? My tractor??”

   One day I might add, “I’ve even got black friends!” to it.

   Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 5:10 am | Permalink
2. David Freeman wrote:

   Very clever TENTHIRTYTWO. You got me to wondering why we never hear the positive side of slippery slopes.

   Now, I’m no Neanderthal, but if we provide preschool to poor children what’s next? Better public schools? College for all? Will people then demand better journalism? Rational political discussions? Where would it end? One day I might add, “I’ve even got rational friends who understand logic and use statistics to better understand data.”

   Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 5:51 am | Permalink
3. ebdoug wrote:

   Keep going folks. I love reading your slippery slopes
   As far as better Journalism. England is doing it:http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_PHONE_HACKING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-07-06-08-37-13

   Keep up the “pull of the Advertising” and the irresponsible news sources will be Out of luck.

   Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 7:07 am | Permalink
4. TENTHIRTYTWO wrote:

   Hah. I think the crux of the issue is that slippery slope arguments can only apply to things that invisible space monsters don’t like.

   Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 7:08 am | Permalink
5. starluna wrote:

   This discussion made my morning.

   Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 8:14 am | Permalink
6. Jason Ray wrote:

   Well said, 1032 and David F. Of course you left out third issue with slippery slopes – not only is it difficult to prove whether a slope exists and where it begins, it’s equally difficult to prove that it’s slippery. Human are generally change averse, and just because they agreed to something in no way implies they will agree to the next thing.

   My experience has been that virtually all the slippery slopes that really exist are found at water parks.

   Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 11:49 am | Permalink
7. Iron Knee wrote:

   I love you guys. Keep me laughing!

   Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 11:19 pm | Permalink
8. Dan wrote:

   Isn’t there also a consent issue? Hard to get an “I do” out of wallpaper.

   Also, wallpaper does not yet have the same human rights as, well, humans.

   There must have been interesting situations in the past, when a man and a woman wanted to marry, but couldn’t because one was the slave of the other (for instance).

   Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 5:03 am | Permalink
9. Anonymous wrote:

   Wow! A comic that is still only ten cents!

   Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 9:40 pm | Permalink