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Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

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Re: Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

#31

Post by genwin »

ghshephard wrote: post #24

I've been thinking about the family today, and what might have caused Aaron to make such a terrible decision. One thing that caught my attention, was Lessig's comment in his post: " ... Aaron Swartz be labeled a “felon.” For in the 18 months of negotiations, that was what he was not willing to accept, and so that was the reason he was facing a million dollar trial in April — his wealth bled dry, yet unable to appeal…

Not everyone wants to solicit support to fight their battles. I can see why Aaron chose suicide. I wish he had fled to one of the few places in the world where American depravity couldn't effectively kill him, but I can see why he didn't.

Re: Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

#32

Post by genwin »

shawn-butler wrote: post #6

I am removing MIT as a benefactor from my will and ceasing donations to the alumni association. I will not reconsider until the institution provides a full accounting and takes responsibility for the actions of its legal counsel in deciding to refer the matter to federal authorities. If you are a current member of the student body or faculty you have a lot more power than me. Please read about this matter and learn w…

Good for you. Shaming, ostracizing, removal of support are all effective. Even better is that you remind others to do the same.

Re: Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

#33

Post by genwin »

wololo wrote: post #22
jhuni wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If not even hacker-friendly institutions like MIT will side with people like Aaron, it's a sad state of affairs. MIT hasn't been a hacker-friendly institution since the early 1980s which is why Richard Stallman left MIT to found the free software movement.

What changed?

It's always and forever the same reason: money, and the power that buys.

Re: Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

#34

Post by duaneb »

wololo wrote: post #22
jhuni wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If not even hacker-friendly institutions like MIT will side with people like Aaron, it's a sad state of affairs. MIT hasn't been a hacker-friendly institution since the early 1980s which is why Richard Stallman left MIT to found the free software movement.

What changed?

He's being hyperbolic; MIT is still a very friendly hacker school. Aaron DID break the law, and I would not expect ANY school to stand behind him when he blatantly violated the law. It's pretty simple: don't break the law, much less using MIT resources to do so.

That said, they could have handled it with a lot more finesse, especially when it is such horrible publicity for them. I suspect this has more to do with eager lawyers than it does MIT's culture.

Keep in mind that MIT is an academic organization and is committed to, well, academics, not politics; e.g. Stallman did not belong there anyway.

Re: Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

#36

Post by igravious »

I don't think that I've ever seen anything like this (the sheer number of submissions related to one event) on HN before. I, like most others, follow the tussle between those who desire a world where the barrier to access information is lower and those who want to copyright, lock up and monetize all the information that we generate.

Most of the time I feel that it is like a high tech soap opera but this events brings it home to me that alarmingly the stakes can be very high and that the weight of the collective system can crush any one individual. Is this naive of me but would it be possible to set up some kind of fund or foundation that could provide real monetary support to help those that are a braver than the rest of us when they confront the system and as a result get overwhelmed.

Apologies if this is inappropriate in any way.

Re: Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

#37

Post by rdl »

ghshephard wrote: post #24

I've been thinking about the family today, and what might have caused Aaron to make such a terrible decision. One thing that caught my attention, was Lessig's comment in his post: " ... Aaron Swartz be labeled a “felon.” For in the 18 months of negotiations, that was what he was not willing to accept, and so that was the reason he was facing a million dollar trial in April — his wealth bled dry, yet unable to appeal…

I want to know who specifically at MIT was involved in this. It seems antithetical to the MIT IT people I know (Jeff Schiller, etc.).

There's no hope, really, of replacing the US Attorney Ortiz. MIT, however, actually has some indirect accountability to the tech community.

Re: Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

#38

Post by rdl »

genwin wrote: post #31
ghshephard wrote: post #24

I've been thinking about the family today, and what might have caused Aaron to make such a terrible decision. One thing that caught my attention, was Lessig's comment in his post: " ... Aaron Swartz be labeled a “felon.” For in the 18 months of negotiations, that was what he was not willing to accept, and so that was the reason he was facing a million dollar trial in April — his wealth bled dry, yet unable to appeal…

Not everyone wants to solicit support to fight their battles. I can see why Aaron chose suicide. I wish he had fled to one of the few places in the world where American depravity couldn't effectively kill him, but I can see why he didn't.

Realistically, he could have just gone ~anywhere outside the US and probably wouldn't have been pursued too aggressively.

Re: Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

#39

Post by wololo »

jhuni wrote: post #13
toyg wrote: post #4

Fuck yes, make them bleed. I can understand a US Attorney being reckless, but I cannot believe MIT would act so cowardly. If not even hacker-friendly institutions like MIT will side with people like Aaron, it's a sad state of affairs.

> If not even hacker-friendly institutions like MIT will side with people like Aaron, it's a sad state of affairs. MIT hasn't been a hacker-friendly institution since the early 1980s which is why Richard Stallman left MIT to found the free software movement.

Is the decline of Voo Doo related to that? I remember them complaining, but everybody knows the good old days were always better, everywhere.

Re: Official Statement from the family and partner of Aaron Swartz

#40

Post by whatusername »

seiji wrote: post #9
jlgreco wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You aren't going to control any institution after you are dead. The best you can do is pick one that you feel you can trust.

Okay, poorly worded on my part. I was thinking more in line with Gates leaving everything to the Gates Foundation. My brain can't reconcile why someone would want to donate to something that already takes money from people in return for services. Kinda like the onion half-headline: "Man Has Alarming Level Of Pride In Institution That Left Him $50,000 In Debt."

Remember that some of those donations go to scholarships/etc so that there may be a reason for reciprocity. (That being said-it doesn't really seem to exist in Australia. I've never been contacted by my old university (a Gof8) and asked for donations.
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