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This "pacific interruption", as you delicately describe it, hurts innocent teachers and students who had nothing to do with the alleged bullying of Swartz, who

by vor_ 14y ago

This "pacific interruption", as you delicately describe it, hurts innocent teachers and students who had nothing to do with the alleged bullying of Swartz, who was already suicidal prior to his prosecution. Regardless of what one may think of computer laws, there is no proven link between his suicide and the criminal charges he faced, and any claims to the contrary have so far been entirely speculative and coming from people who never met the guy--one can't help but wonder if they had even heard of him before last week. In addition, many of Swartz's accomplishments have been exaggerated specifically to fuel a frenzied mob. E.g., "co-creator of Reddit" which contradicts the public statements of other Reddit founders, and "creator of RSS" when he was one member of a group that took over Netscape's technology. Of course, my saying this will be used as a reason to attack me for discounting contributions that he actually made, which isn't the case. I am simply pointing out that the knee-jerk righteous indignation and mad desire to blame is getting out of hand. It's becoming an angry mob, directing its violence at convenient targets to feed a primal hunger for revenge.

BrokenPipe 14y ago
He was depressed, and because of the case he was considered by his lawyer at suicide risk but I'm not aware of any reported attempt of suicide by Aaron. Again, if some people can't go to work because of a strike, even if it seemingly hurting teachers, student or general population it is in fact benefiting them and the right price for democracy. Democracy can only be with awareness and without it is just a different kind of manipulated monarchy. And the rest of your 'additions' seems very ugly. He was part of a joint-venture or similar between companies where they all called each other cofunder, not co creator. And check at what age he did work on RSS, if that's not an accomplishment I don't know what is. Not an angry mob, nobody is being physically hurt, just slightly interrupted from what they were doing just as it happens when there's a strike or a big manifestation.
analog 14y ago
"no proven link between his suicide and the criminal charges he faced, and any claims to the contrary have so far been entirely speculative and coming from people who never met the guy" Please stop spreading lies and disinformation. 'killed by the government,' father tells mourners [1] 'depressed about his case/upcoming trial, but we had no idea what he was going through was this painful.' from his mother [2] [1] http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-aaron-swartz-funeral-eulogy-father-20130115,0,648108.story http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-aaron-... [2] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5047398 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5047398
- thefreeman 14y ago
  Your links have absolutely no proof in them. A grieving Father's statement on who he blames for his sons death is not proof.
  - analog 14y ago
    "..coming from people who never met the guy" They clearly show that the statement from vor_ which I quoted is incorrect.
- detst 14y ago
  There are all sorts of unanswered questions but whether or not it affected his mental state is not among them. I'm angry about an unjust prosecution that should never have had the opportunity to cause this damage. I can't know if things would have ended differently but that's not a question we should have to ask. Unfortunately this is part of deeper systemic problems and bringing up his accomplishments is rather irrelevant and distasteful. If exaggerating his accomplishments helps to spread the story, I have absolutely no problem with that because it has nothing to do with the real issues.
thefreeman 14y ago
I've been trying to stay out of this, but I gotta agree with you hear. For all we know, Aaron got dumped by his girlfriend last week or something. People are just using his suicide to turn him into a martyr for a cause they believe in, and its disturbing.
- Gigablah 14y ago
  > For all we know, Aaron got dumped by his girlfriend last week or something. You mean Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman? She was the one who found his body. Any other speculations you'd like to share?

by vor_ 14y ago

BrokenPipe 14y ago

He was depressed, and because of the case he was considered by his lawyer at suicide risk but I'm not aware of any reported attempt of suicide by Aaron. Again, if some people can't go to work because of a strike, even if it seemingly hurting teachers, student or general population it is in fact benefiting them and the right price for democracy. Democracy can only be with awareness and without it is just a different kind of manipulated monarchy. And the rest of your 'additions' seems very ugly. He was part of a joint-venture or similar between companies where they all called each other cofunder, not co creator. And check at what age he did work on RSS, if that's not an accomplishment I don't know what is. Not an angry mob, nobody is being physically hurt, just slightly interrupted from what they were doing just as it happens when there's a strike or a big manifestation.

analog 14y ago

"no proven link between his suicide and the criminal charges he faced, and any claims to the contrary have so far been entirely speculative and coming from people who never met the guy" Please stop spreading lies and disinformation. 'killed by the government,' father tells mourners [1] 'depressed about his case/upcoming trial, but we had no idea what he was going through was this painful.' from his mother [2] [1] http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-aaron-swartz-funeral-eulogy-father-20130115,0,648108.story http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-aaron-... [2] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5047398 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5047398

thefreeman 14y ago
Your links have absolutely no proof in them. A grieving Father's statement on who he blames for his sons death is not proof.
- analog 14y ago
  "..coming from people who never met the guy" They clearly show that the statement from vor_ which I quoted is incorrect.
detst 14y ago
There are all sorts of unanswered questions but whether or not it affected his mental state is not among them. I'm angry about an unjust prosecution that should never have had the opportunity to cause this damage. I can't know if things would have ended differently but that's not a question we should have to ask. Unfortunately this is part of deeper systemic problems and bringing up his accomplishments is rather irrelevant and distasteful. If exaggerating his accomplishments helps to spread the story, I have absolutely no problem with that because it has nothing to do with the real issues.

thefreeman 14y ago

I've been trying to stay out of this, but I gotta agree with you hear. For all we know, Aaron got dumped by his girlfriend last week or something. People are just using his suicide to turn him into a martyr for a cause they believe in, and its disturbing.

Gigablah 14y ago
> For all we know, Aaron got dumped by his girlfriend last week or something. You mean Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman? She was the one who found his body. Any other speculations you'd like to share?