Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi has been inundated with criticism after apparently directing Twitter followers to the website of men’s activist and ‘pickup artist’ Daryush ‘Roosh’ Valizadeh, a self-described “chauvinist” blogger who infamously published an article arguing rape should be legalised on private property.
“This article is particularly relevant to many Twitter users. Know thyself…,” Bernardi tweeted, linking to a piece by Valizadeh about ‘Social Justice Warriors’. The term is often used on social media as a derisory description of people who hold progressive political views, particularly those interested in identity politics.
Elsewhere on the same website, Valizadeh has argued that rape should be made legal on private property. A note attached to the top of the piece after its publication describes it as “a satirical thought experiment.”
The controversial blogger describes his work as “macho sex writing”.
“I haven’t messed around with rape topics since that article was written a year ago because people absolutely lose their minds when it comes to rape,” he writes. “Objectively, as a writer, that article was a raging success, a once-in-a-lifetime perfect storm. Writers can only dream of getting that kind of exposure.”
Asked if Bernardi personally controlled his Twitter account, which is verified, a staffer for the Senator said, “I’m sort of not sure about all of that”. Questions to Bernardi’s office had not been responded to at the time of press.
However, a second Tweet from the Senator’s account was soon sent, defending the first.
Dear outraged, the article I linked to is interesting in light of events of last week. It doesn’t mean I endorse author’s other views.
— Cory Bernardi (@corybernardi) June 1, 2016
Bernardi’s account was inundated with criticism after linking to the author.
.@corybernardi you know have linked to an article by a rapist. Jesus is very disappointed in you. — Na’ama Carlin (@derridalicious) June 1, 2016
@corybernardi I would highly recommend deleting your account
— Lucy Valentine (@LucyXIV) June 1, 2016
But hang on, didn’t your lot attack Safe Schools for providing mere hyperlinks to 3rd party ‘objectionable’ content? https://t.co/fgnYltUPJN — Adam Spence (@AdamSpenceAU) June 1, 2016
Elsewhere, the blogger linked to by the Senator has reportedly compared homosexuality to Nazism, said he assumes women are “worthless dirty whore until proven otherwise”, and encouraged men to think of women as worthless.
He came to attention in Australia earlier in the year after announcing a trip to the country, which was subsequently cancelled.
At the time, Minister for Immigration Peter Dutton said people who advocated violence against women were not welcome in Australia.
In the immediately previous Tweet, Bernardi linked to article about a woman protesting forced council mergers in NSW and said “Why are the intolerant left so vile and disgusting?”.
Four Tweets previous, Benardi linked to a piece criticising Canadian PM Justin Trudeau for apparently elbowing a female MP.
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