Farewell Aaron Swartz. RIP

3 Comments »

• Peter Aranyi says:

  14 January 2013 at 7:25 am

  The U.S. Attorneys offices prosecute whomever they want, for whatever they want, and there is no shortage of laws—and potential laws—with which they can do it. Mr. Swartz may have done wrong by JSTOR, and perhaps he even deserved to pay a fine for his misdeeds, but a two year federal investigation and the threat of putting a young man in prison for the rest of his life was a despicable and wasteful effort by the federal government. Unchecked and vindictive prosecutions ruin lives, and those who are responsible for them should not be rewarded with political office.

  We need federal attorneys, and we need them to have a certain latitude in what cases they do, and do not, pursue. But the Department of Justice should rein in its prosecutors and police their activities more closely. Directives from Washington should discourage unjust prosecutions, promote prudence, and tolerate—if not encourage—discretion. And, unlike the current system, these directives should have teeth. Disregarded memos are not emblematic of functioning government. Nor should win totals and headlines be the measure of a United States Attorney.

  http://blanksslate.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/aaron-swartz-and-our-broken-justice.html

• Peter Aranyi says:

  14 January 2013 at 7:43 am

  In a statement about his death Aaron’s family and partner wrote:
  “Aaron’s death is not simply a personal tragedy. It is the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach. Decisions made by officials in the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s office and at MIT contributed to his death.”
  You should know his death is a good reason to revisit the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the law under which he was prosecuted, since it is far too broad, and to take a hard look at Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, whose office prosecuted Aaron with such recklessly disproportionate vigor, and who is reportedly considering a run for governor.
  You should know that we’re going to miss you, Aaron. We’re going to miss your brilliant mind, your righteous heart and your sensitive soul.

  http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/01/13/the-brilliant-mind-righteous-heart-of-aaron-swartz-will-be-missed/

• ivantheterrible says:

  14 January 2013 at 3:29 pm

  We are provably held to ransom by two bloated ridiculous entities … Hollywood and the Music industry. Both entities full of booty jiggling corrupting influences – and equally corrupt practices.

  We have a PM who bends over and takes it up the ass from both entities … and just loves to look good in front of the yanks. Our PM fancies himself as a president – or at least a mover and shaker.

  Personally i think our PM is a sad little acquiline featured ferret … a tiny little gambler of ill repute.

  But thats another story.

  Swartz was persecuted to breaking point … by fucking assholes.