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New Zealand admits illegally spying on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom

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Re: New Zealand admits illegally spying on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom

#11

The real question: is Dotcom innocent of his alleged crimes? The real story is that if Dotcom was facilitating piracy. The technicality of if he was wire tapped illegally or not is important in theory, but it comes down to this: Dotcom would not be in trouble if he hadn't broken the law. If he was innocent, then this would be a big story. This is similar to someone caught in video robbing a store but beating the char…

Digital piracy is not, and never will be, theft.

Re: New Zealand admits illegally spying on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom

#12

The real question: is Dotcom innocent of his alleged crimes? The real story is that if Dotcom was facilitating piracy. The technicality of if he was wire tapped illegally or not is important in theory, but it comes down to this: Dotcom would not be in trouble if he hadn't broken the law. If he was innocent, then this would be a big story. This is similar to someone caught in video robbing a store but beating the char…

Justice isn't innocent people being convicted of crimes because evidence rules weren't followed. Our legal justice system is run by humans who are just as perfect as the ones committing the crimes, and the ones sitting in juries.

We give police, lawyers, and others in the criminal justice system great power over us - they're legally permitted to punish and physically restrain humans. That cases can be won on technicalities - when police, lawyers, etc break the rules that protect us from them - helps to keep them honest and trusted. That's how we watch the watchers.

Re: New Zealand admits illegally spying on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom

#13

The real question: is Dotcom innocent of his alleged crimes? The real story is that if Dotcom was facilitating piracy. The technicality of if he was wire tapped illegally or not is important in theory, but it comes down to this: Dotcom would not be in trouble if he hadn't broken the law. If he was innocent, then this would be a big story. This is similar to someone caught in video robbing a store but beating the char…

We know that he is innocent, until otherwise proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Re: New Zealand admits illegally spying on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom

#17
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Justice is getting punished for crimes actually committed." A government's complete disregard for due process is a far greater crime than piracy. The punishment for this crime is "[c]riminals winning cases on technicalities".

> The punishment for this crime is "[c]riminals winning cases on technicalities". I disagree. The punishment is to find the person or persons responsible and, at a minimum, fire them. That should serve as a warning to others that you either do it right, or not at all. The "[c]riminals winning cases on technicalities" is a side-effect of erroneous judgement.

I would argue that, in the US at least, criminals winning on technicalities is not a side effect. It is a direct punishment of the government not following proper procedure. Authorities cannot illegally search your home because if they do they forfeit the right to use that evidence. If that repercussion was not in place, there would be no incentive for the government to actually follow the law.

Do it right or you lose the case. That's the deal.

Re: New Zealand admits illegally spying on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom

#18

The real question: is Dotcom innocent of his alleged crimes? The real story is that if Dotcom was facilitating piracy. The technicality of if he was wire tapped illegally or not is important in theory, but it comes down to this: Dotcom would not be in trouble if he hadn't broken the law. If he was innocent, then this would be a big story. This is similar to someone caught in video robbing a store but beating the char…

Folk heroes can also be villains. Robin Hood was a notorious villain. (I'm not comparing Dotcom to Robin Hood)

The reason he is celebrated is because he is famous for bypassing a system many consider to be broken. He is famous for not being afraid to put his own system into place, a system he and many other liked better. He is famous because he did not try to hide. He is famous because he's fighting the system he and others wish to see replaced.

Is he a criminal? Yes. Does being a criminal mean you cannot also be a folk hero? If you say yes, I don't think you know what a folk hero really is. Quite often they are criminals. Look into Bonnie and Clyde, Robin Hood, Guy Fawkes, Che Guevara, Jesse James, Spartacus, etc.

Re: New Zealand admits illegally spying on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom

#19

The real question: is Dotcom innocent of his alleged crimes? The real story is that if Dotcom was facilitating piracy. The technicality of if he was wire tapped illegally or not is important in theory, but it comes down to this: Dotcom would not be in trouble if he hadn't broken the law. If he was innocent, then this would be a big story. This is similar to someone caught in video robbing a store but beating the char…

If the system protects the rights of an alleged criminal it should protect your rights.

Re: New Zealand admits illegally spying on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom

#20
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Justice is getting punished for crimes actually committed." A government's complete disregard for due process is a far greater crime than piracy. The punishment for this crime is "[c]riminals winning cases on technicalities".

> The punishment for this crime is "[c]riminals winning cases on technicalities". I disagree. The punishment is to find the person or persons responsible and, at a minimum, fire them. That should serve as a warning to others that you either do it right, or not at all. The "[c]riminals winning cases on technicalities" is a side-effect of erroneous judgement.

A punishment should be made high enough that the person doing the crime would not do it. Firing people is a proper action for not showing up on time or being bad at your job.

Spying on citizens without a proper court order should be mandatory jail for all involved.

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