11 ms·

MLB, Homeland Security, and the Undercover Underwear Sting

115 points by shill 12y ago

JumpCrisscross 12y ago
This is infuriating to me, and corrosive to our republic. I want to help, to fight this. I have some money and some time. What is the most effective to do this?
- keevie 12y ago
  http://populardemocracy.org/blog/demanding-police-accountability-ferguson-and-across-country http://populardemocracy.org/blog/demanding-police-accountabi... There isn't actually all that much organizing being done, but these people are at the center of a lot of grassroots organizations, and have a ton of institutional support from foundations etc. Depending on how serious you are, I'd get in touch with them.
grej 12y ago
I'm nearly speechless reading this, shaking my head. The "laws" that the esteemed enforcement agencies are choosing to enforce are astounding. The best thing that can possibly happen is transparency and subsequent outrage.
Zigurd 12y ago
Why are the agents involved in these raids never named in the news coverage? These kinds of incidents should become part of their reputations.
- jlgaddis 12y ago
  They're protected, by law. As far as I'm aware, they can't also be sued (in an individual capacity) for anything they do on the job (unless they're blatantly violating laws/policy/protocol, obviously).
  - darkarmani 12y ago
    > They're protected, by law. As far as I'm aware, they can't also be sued Which is why they should be publicly shamed.
  - Zigurd 12y ago
    There is a law that says their identities can't be revealed in news accounts?
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
8ig8 12y ago
Lobbyists As A Service. Anyone?
- saryant 12y ago
  That's called a law firm.
- X-Istence 12y ago
  Can I get that as part of my IaaS?
nmjohn 12y ago
> A group of agents then charged past him into the doorway. Lindquist was briefly handcuffed as they entered the unit, with guns drawn. Agents then told him that if he insisted on a warrant, they would take everything print-related in his shop as a precaution to keep him from printing further counterfeit apparel. This absolutely infuriates me. I don't care how much of the law he is breaking - you are threatening to take away a man's livelihood because he was making sure due process was being followed. The fact that is remotely legal is absurd. Those agents and their supervisors should be fired.
- undata 12y ago
  Guns-drawn raids are just how things are done in the US these days.
  - nmjohn 12y ago
    The guns drawn are the least of my concern [0] - officer safety is important too. My concern is the fact they are threatening him for wanting his rights maintained and due process followed. [0]: I'm not saying it's not an issue, just not what I'm focused on in this comment.
    - dmix 12y ago
      Police officers quest for safety also vastly increases the risks of unintentionally harming the people in the places they raid - people that are innocent until proven guilt, and people who are often not directly involved in the crime. Most importantly it harms the respect and dignity of the society they are protecting. No non-threatening person should ever have AR-15s pointed at their heads, screamed at, their faces pushed into the ground, and handcuffed regardless of their potential criminality. Especially when the whole investigation is for non-violent crimes. This hostility towards everyone generates more hostility and doesn't make any society more civilized and respectable - which is the over-arching intention of law and order.
    - x0x0 12y ago
      'cause sometimes two-year olds are packing http://www.salon.com/2014/06/24/a_swat_team_blew_a_hole_in_my_2_year_old_son/ http://www.salon.com/2014/06/24/a_swat_team_blew_a_hole_in_m...
downandout 12y ago
The federal government is fast becoming the military arm of corporate America. It's reprehensible, but the only way to fight it is to make billions of dollars yourself, then dedicate that money to fighting against the very system that enabled you to make and keep your billions. This, of course, is unlikely to happen, and is why this problem will only get worse over time.
McKittrick 12y ago
isn't whether a trademark is being violated a legal question? HLS just gets to make this determination on its own and act? seems odd...
- jacquesm 12y ago
  What does homeland security have to do with trademarks anyway?
  - MichaelGG 12y ago
    At least on one angle: Customs enforces the laws around contraband (including IP infringements) from being imported, and they are under DHS.
cft 12y ago
Not surprising. Third world country requires the third world police.
danellis 12y ago
Now that's what I call a panty raid!
chrismcb 12y ago
How is this a copyright violation? Trademark possibly, but not copyright.
- ack 12y ago
  Copyright or trademark infringement. Either way I fail to see how this affects national security. Isn't that what DHS is supposed to be about?
beedogs 12y ago
Might be about time to wind back copyright enforcement just a tad.

115 points by shill 12y ago

This is infuriating to me, and corrosive to our republic. I want to help, to fight this. I have some money and some time. What is the most effective to do this?

keevie 12y ago
http://populardemocracy.org/blog/demanding-police-accountability-ferguson-and-across-country http://populardemocracy.org/blog/demanding-police-accountabi... There isn't actually all that much organizing being done, but these people are at the center of a lot of grassroots organizations, and have a ton of institutional support from foundations etc. Depending on how serious you are, I'd get in touch with them.

grej 12y ago

I'm nearly speechless reading this, shaking my head. The "laws" that the esteemed enforcement agencies are choosing to enforce are astounding. The best thing that can possibly happen is transparency and subsequent outrage.

Zigurd 12y ago

Why are the agents involved in these raids never named in the news coverage? These kinds of incidents should become part of their reputations.

jlgaddis 12y ago
They're protected, by law. As far as I'm aware, they can't also be sued (in an individual capacity) for anything they do on the job (unless they're blatantly violating laws/policy/protocol, obviously).
- darkarmani 12y ago
  > They're protected, by law. As far as I'm aware, they can't also be sued Which is why they should be publicly shamed.
- Zigurd 12y ago
  There is a law that says their identities can't be revealed in news accounts?
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

8ig8 12y ago

Lobbyists As A Service. Anyone?

saryant 12y ago
That's called a law firm.
X-Istence 12y ago
Can I get that as part of my IaaS?

nmjohn 12y ago

> A group of agents then charged past him into the doorway. Lindquist was briefly handcuffed as they entered the unit, with guns drawn. Agents then told him that if he insisted on a warrant, they would take everything print-related in his shop as a precaution to keep him from printing further counterfeit apparel. This absolutely infuriates me. I don't care how much of the law he is breaking - you are threatening to take away a man's livelihood because he was making sure due process was being followed. The fact that is remotely legal is absurd. Those agents and their supervisors should be fired.

undata 12y ago
Guns-drawn raids are just how things are done in the US these days.
- nmjohn 12y ago
  The guns drawn are the least of my concern [0] - officer safety is important too. My concern is the fact they are threatening him for wanting his rights maintained and due process followed. [0]: I'm not saying it's not an issue, just not what I'm focused on in this comment.
  - dmix 12y ago
    Police officers quest for safety also vastly increases the risks of unintentionally harming the people in the places they raid - people that are innocent until proven guilt, and people who are often not directly involved in the crime. Most importantly it harms the respect and dignity of the society they are protecting. No non-threatening person should ever have AR-15s pointed at their heads, screamed at, their faces pushed into the ground, and handcuffed regardless of their potential criminality. Especially when the whole investigation is for non-violent crimes. This hostility towards everyone generates more hostility and doesn't make any society more civilized and respectable - which is the over-arching intention of law and order.
  - x0x0 12y ago
    'cause sometimes two-year olds are packing http://www.salon.com/2014/06/24/a_swat_team_blew_a_hole_in_my_2_year_old_son/ http://www.salon.com/2014/06/24/a_swat_team_blew_a_hole_in_m...

downandout 12y ago

The federal government is fast becoming the military arm of corporate America. It's reprehensible, but the only way to fight it is to make billions of dollars yourself, then dedicate that money to fighting against the very system that enabled you to make and keep your billions. This, of course, is unlikely to happen, and is why this problem will only get worse over time.

McKittrick 12y ago

isn't whether a trademark is being violated a legal question? HLS just gets to make this determination on its own and act? seems odd...

jacquesm 12y ago
What does homeland security have to do with trademarks anyway?
- MichaelGG 12y ago
  At least on one angle: Customs enforces the laws around contraband (including IP infringements) from being imported, and they are under DHS.

cft 12y ago

Not surprising. Third world country requires the third world police.

danellis 12y ago

Now that's what I call a panty raid!

chrismcb 12y ago

How is this a copyright violation? Trademark possibly, but not copyright.

ack 12y ago
Copyright or trademark infringement. Either way I fail to see how this affects national security. Isn't that what DHS is supposed to be about?

beedogs 12y ago

Might be about time to wind back copyright enforcement just a tad.