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But if you are going to go this far, then you can just put anyone in prison for any reason anyway.

• dredmorbius 3y ago
  An advantage to a law which is widely flauted is that it gives arbitrary pretext to apprehend or detain any given person. Those who are, at least for now, within good graces are of course exempted. Those who are systematically repressed can be systematically, specifically, and/or arbitrarily detained, investigated, and/or prosecuted, as suits political needs. And the fact that the actions are based on at least nominal basis in law and procedure means that the practice is defensible both to those tasked with enacting it and with the institutions and general public. Even tyrants find that power is best and most readily exerted through cooperating and existing channels.
  • shrx 3y ago
    > An advantage to a law which is widely flauted is that it gives arbitrary pretext to apprehend or detain any given person. A prime example: On a highway leading from Chechnya to Dagestan there is a traffic light. It is always red. https://en.rattibha.com/thread/1595456040677556226 https://en.rattibha.com/thread/1595456040677556226
    • dredmorbius 3y ago
      That is an excellent example of a terrifying instance, thanks!