Before this post gets flagged into oblivion, let me bring this back to a subject that may hold a little more for many of the tech types that read this site: Aaron Swartz.
I'm reminded of a comment a made a couple of years ago [0] when there was a push to pass "Aaron's Law" and I argued that the change needed to be more broad-based than that. Looking at what happened to Aaron (aggressive, arguably unnecessary prosecution) and with the recent police shootings (aggressive, arguably unnecessary use of force) points to a failure of the criminal justice as a whole. The system needs to change, to protect Harvard fellows and 12-year-old black kids alike.
Flagged. And I don't think I've ever flagged anything on HN before.
HN has made _huge_ improvements in quality around discussions related to racism/sexism/diversity in the tech scene, but even I know that any #ferguson/#blacklivesmatter/etc comment-threads will quickly become an unapproachable nuclear meltdown.
There are so few places on the web to have intelligent, calm conversations with interesting people about tough subjects. I find it sad that HN seems to want to steer clear of addressing them, especially because I think the site attracts the type of people who might propose creative solutions.
>"I’d given up on the system....But then I realized something important: I’ve got you. And you’ve got me. And we’ve got them. And we all have each other."
The article means "copwatchnyc.org", not "copwatch.org". Copwatch.org has been around for years, but doesn't seem to be getting much traction. Someone might want to volunteer to bring their web site out of the 1990s.
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[ 2.6 ms ] story [ 30.7 ms ] threadI'm reminded of a comment a made a couple of years ago [0] when there was a push to pass "Aaron's Law" and I argued that the change needed to be more broad-based than that. Looking at what happened to Aaron (aggressive, arguably unnecessary prosecution) and with the recent police shootings (aggressive, arguably unnecessary use of force) points to a failure of the criminal justice as a whole. The system needs to change, to protect Harvard fellows and 12-year-old black kids alike.
[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5138176
HN has made _huge_ improvements in quality around discussions related to racism/sexism/diversity in the tech scene, but even I know that any #ferguson/#blacklivesmatter/etc comment-threads will quickly become an unapproachable nuclear meltdown.
What the? Worst opinion piece in ages.
>"Will you declare interdependence with me?"
No.
1. You can't have 24/7 real-time surveillance of the police and have them function. Bad guys knowing where the cops are is bad.
2. This doesn't change the incentives of prosecutors who don't want to alienate the police they have to work with.
3. This doesn't guarantee that footage will make it to a jury
4. This doesn't target police unions or statutes that make it more difficult to fire / imprison police.
5. It emphasizes the us vs. them mentality and is likely to cause dangerous confrontations.
6. This doesn't breed empathy through public sacrifice which is a key tactic underlying most successfull non-violent protest movements.
I could go on ...