[liberationtech] Tragic News: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

[Rich Kulawiec]

On Sun, Jan 13, 2013 at 10:41:15AM -0600, Case Black wrote:
> "Federal Prosecutor Ortiz does not seem like a monster in general"...of
> course not, neither did Adolf Eichmann.
> 
> This is the face of the Banality of Evil for the modern era!

I've been thinking about this, and about Lessig's comments
(here: http://lessig.tumblr.com/post/40347463044/prosecutor-as-bully)
and this quote comes to mind:

	"So if someone idiot politician, some power player, tries to
	execute policies that harm you or those you care about, take it
	personally.  Get angry.  The Machinery of Justice will not serve
	you here -- it is slow and cold, and it is theirs, hardware and
	soft-.	Only the little people suffer at the hands of Justice; the
	creatures of power slide out from under with a wink and a grin.

	If you want justice, you will have to claw it from them.  Make it
	personal.  Do as much damage as you can.  Get your message across.
	That way you stand a far better chance of being taken seriously
	next time.  Of being considered dangerous.  And make no mistake
	about this: being taken seriously, being considered dangerous,
	marks the difference -- the only difference in their eyes --
	between players and the little people they liquidate, your
	displacement, your torture and brutal execution with the ultimate
	insult that it's just business, it's politics, it's just the way
	of the world, it's a tough life, and that it's nothing personal.

	Well fuck them.  Make it personal."

	--- Richard K. Morgan, "Altered Carbon"

---rsk