8 ms·

"And it’s no excuse to say that the vast majority of these cases will never be prosecuted. As the Ninth Circuit explained, “Ubiquitous, seldom-prosecuted crimes

"And it’s no excuse to say that the vast majority of these cases will never be prosecuted. As the Ninth Circuit explained, “Ubiquitous, seldom-prosecuted crimes invite arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.” Instead of pursuing only suspects of actual crimes, it opens the door for prosecutors to go after people because the government doesn’t like them." This should be branded onto anyone that ever defended an overbroad law with 'It'll only be used to go after bad guys!'

awkwarddaturtle 9y ago
> This should be branded into anyone that ever defended an overbroad law with 'It'll only be used to go after bad guys!' Is it shocking to anyone else that there are so many comments like that on HN recently? "It'll only be used to go after bad guys!" or "If you don't have nothing to hide then you have nothing to worry about" or "I support free speech BUT ...". There is a surprising amount of pro-government and anti-free speech sentiment/comments lately.
- honestoHeminway 9y ago
  As if a society, if things get bad- would not behave rationally? Almost, as if there was a war-mode, where we vote for erratical leaders, close the ranks, shut down all free communications, and would invade some neighbourhood until things are good again. Of course to accept the ugliness of reality and the finite ressource of reason- that would be a real blow to all those utopian daydreams. So never gonna happen.
- hellbanner 9y ago
  You think they're pro-gov astroturfing? I interpreted their comment as the opposite..
swiley 9y ago
This happens at the university I go to: wearing shorts is against the rules (being written up enough times for it can get you expelled) but no one cares because it's the students (RAs) that enforce it. So when people are mad at each other (or someone just likes wielding their power) other people end up hurt. "It's not enforced" is a terrible excuse for bad laws. Not that I like shorts, they're pretty ugly.
- strictnein 9y ago
  > Not that I like shorts, they're pretty ugly. Shorts are life.
- TylerH 9y ago
  What weird backward university is this that doesn't allow shorts?!
  - bryanrasmussen 9y ago
    Brigham Young University maybe http://www.byui.edu/student-honor-office/ces-honor-code/dress-and-grooming http://www.byui.edu/student-honor-office/ces-honor-code/dres...
    - dmoy 9y ago
      Huh not what I was told (though they ban most shorts you could reasonably buy at a store, especially for women, or something like that)
      - bryanrasmussen 9y ago
        well the original poster said it was not enforced.
  - dmoy 9y ago
    Not even BYU completely bans shorts (at least according to a disillusioned co-worker). Ok looks like Pensacola Christian College basically bans shorts.
Chathamization 9y ago
This is a huge problem with the U.S. legal system. A lot of common behavior has been criminalized, to the point where most people could probably be pursued for something. There's a general shrug about this, followed by a "I doubt they'd actually go after you for that." But that ends up meaning that authorities can target an individual when they want to, and since this is often followed by throwing a lot of shade about the targeted individual people think it's justified.
- euyyn 9y ago
  What's an example of such common behavior?
  - dsfyu404ed 9y ago
    License plates aren't exactly common on wood splitters, irrigation trenches, concrete mixers and other towable equipment that's small enough to be a two man lift but they're required. In some states it's a higher end misdemeanor to not have your papers in order when traveling on public roads. I know that's not something the typical urban/suburban HN visitor deals with on a daily basis but it happens.
  - DarkKomunalec 9y ago
    https://mic.com/articles/86797/8-ways-we-regularly-commit-felonies-without-realizing-it https://mic.com/articles/86797/8-ways-we-regularly-commit-fe... I wouldn't call any of those exactly 'common', but they're far from criminal.
    - dsfyu404ed 9y ago
      It doesn't have to be common or recent as long as a sufficient number of people are caught in the dragnet. These laws exist to only be used sparingly as needed. They're to be used as a surprise "gotcha" for someone that couldn't otherwise be "gotten" If prosecution under these sort of laws was overused they the laws would be changed. I'm not saying I agree with it.
  - 9y ago
toomanybeersies 9y ago
Relevant quote I got from HN the other day: > To my friends, everything; to my enemies, the law > -Óscar R. Benavides

awkwarddaturtle 9y ago

> This should be branded into anyone that ever defended an overbroad law with 'It'll only be used to go after bad guys!' Is it shocking to anyone else that there are so many comments like that on HN recently? "It'll only be used to go after bad guys!" or "If you don't have nothing to hide then you have nothing to worry about" or "I support free speech BUT ...". There is a surprising amount of pro-government and anti-free speech sentiment/comments lately.

honestoHeminway 9y ago
As if a society, if things get bad- would not behave rationally? Almost, as if there was a war-mode, where we vote for erratical leaders, close the ranks, shut down all free communications, and would invade some neighbourhood until things are good again. Of course to accept the ugliness of reality and the finite ressource of reason- that would be a real blow to all those utopian daydreams. So never gonna happen.
hellbanner 9y ago
You think they're pro-gov astroturfing? I interpreted their comment as the opposite..

swiley 9y ago

This happens at the university I go to: wearing shorts is against the rules (being written up enough times for it can get you expelled) but no one cares because it's the students (RAs) that enforce it. So when people are mad at each other (or someone just likes wielding their power) other people end up hurt. "It's not enforced" is a terrible excuse for bad laws. Not that I like shorts, they're pretty ugly.

strictnein 9y ago
> Not that I like shorts, they're pretty ugly. Shorts are life.
TylerH 9y ago
What weird backward university is this that doesn't allow shorts?!
- bryanrasmussen 9y ago
  Brigham Young University maybe http://www.byui.edu/student-honor-office/ces-honor-code/dress-and-grooming http://www.byui.edu/student-honor-office/ces-honor-code/dres...
  - dmoy 9y ago
    Huh not what I was told (though they ban most shorts you could reasonably buy at a store, especially for women, or something like that)
    - bryanrasmussen 9y ago
      well the original poster said it was not enforced.
- dmoy 9y ago
  Not even BYU completely bans shorts (at least according to a disillusioned co-worker). Ok looks like Pensacola Christian College basically bans shorts.

Chathamization 9y ago

This is a huge problem with the U.S. legal system. A lot of common behavior has been criminalized, to the point where most people could probably be pursued for something. There's a general shrug about this, followed by a "I doubt they'd actually go after you for that." But that ends up meaning that authorities can target an individual when they want to, and since this is often followed by throwing a lot of shade about the targeted individual people think it's justified.

euyyn 9y ago
What's an example of such common behavior?
- dsfyu404ed 9y ago
  License plates aren't exactly common on wood splitters, irrigation trenches, concrete mixers and other towable equipment that's small enough to be a two man lift but they're required. In some states it's a higher end misdemeanor to not have your papers in order when traveling on public roads. I know that's not something the typical urban/suburban HN visitor deals with on a daily basis but it happens.
- DarkKomunalec 9y ago
  https://mic.com/articles/86797/8-ways-we-regularly-commit-felonies-without-realizing-it https://mic.com/articles/86797/8-ways-we-regularly-commit-fe... I wouldn't call any of those exactly 'common', but they're far from criminal.
  - dsfyu404ed 9y ago
    It doesn't have to be common or recent as long as a sufficient number of people are caught in the dragnet. These laws exist to only be used sparingly as needed. They're to be used as a surprise "gotcha" for someone that couldn't otherwise be "gotten" If prosecution under these sort of laws was overused they the laws would be changed. I'm not saying I agree with it.
- 9y ago

toomanybeersies 9y ago

Relevant quote I got from HN the other day: > To my friends, everything; to my enemies, the law > -Óscar R. Benavides