Seems fair.
"First, deciding what topics are appropriate and what may not be is not an activity we relish, nor is it one in which we engage frequently. We try to be fair and evenhanded, but we are not perfect and we admit that."
Yes, I understand this, and please don't take anything I say as personal (this applies to all mods involved in this).
"Instead of comparing your topic to others, please try to keep the discussion to whether there is any merit in discussing the legalization of incest with a bunch of computer geeks (using the term as a badge of honor...). I still can't see the benefit of the discussion."
OK. The reason I compare the topic to others is a question of consistency. You don't see that there is benefit in the discussion. Quite alright. I however, do. I would be very interested in the findings and opinions in such a discussion, as it would be with others who I identify with, as a fellow computer geek. Nothing I can say can change your opinion that it is a meritless thread - as such, it would be a waste of time to try. All I can do is attempt to point to other threads that have been allowed in order to try to show that, even though you see no merit, I do, and the history of what has been allowed would imply that this is allowed too - in the same way one would refer to precedent in a legal matter.
As such, what I'm advocating is a path of least intervention. Where we disagree (on merit of discussing it), and where previous threads have discussed (somewhat?) similar issues, and where we do not know yet whether an incest discussion would have degraded below civility, and where it was in an area designed for political discussion and where a user must have agreed to a code and is warned about possibly offensive content, I believe it is appropriate to allow the thread to continue. If it should degrade into a flamewar (whether at me or others) then I would wholeheartedly support a closing.