Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts • Hacker News Board

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#11

Post by lurker14 » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:36 AM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #4

It took hundreds of police and probably millions of dollars to catch a teenager who didn't even bother to leave the area or go into hiding - and even TWEETED after the event. If we were attacked by real, organized terrorists, we are screwed. I really do not get all the celebration and back-patting, it's disturbing. Oh and while this huge distraction was going on - no background checks for guns, the most basic bill fa…

What's the maximum reasonable spend to catch a bomber, for an efficient force? $1M? $100k?

A large part of the expense was due to the successful effort to apprehend him without killing him or bystanders.

Tweets aren't precisely geolocated, so that's not really relevant.

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#12

Post by tolmasky » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:37 AM UTC

john_whelan wrote: post #6

sergiotapia wrote: post #3

>4 people killed in a week is not a lot compared with the background level of deaths in the US. It's not as many as in the Texas explosion. Car accidents in the US kill around 100 people a day, and surely grievously injure hundreds more. ============================ Difference being of course, one was a deliberate attack on human life, and the other a very _very_ unfortunate accident. Stupid comparison to make for th…

+ one of those four people was a police officer

Is killing a police officer worse than killing a "normal" person?

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#13

Post by lurker14 » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:37 AM UTC

mikegreen wrote: post #8

Never confuse actual security with the theater of security. It is the latter than our country wants, or at least our politicians say we want.

Today's effort was actual security.

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#14

Post by subsystem » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:38 AM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #4

It took hundreds of police and probably millions of dollars to catch a teenager who didn't even bother to leave the area or go into hiding - and even TWEETED after the event. If we were attacked by real, organized terrorists, we are screwed. I really do not get all the celebration and back-patting, it's disturbing. Oh and while this huge distraction was going on - no background checks for guns, the most basic bill fa…

They were actually about to abort the "bruteforce" operation before they got a call that someone had found the suspect in their boat, outside the perimeter. I really hope they evalute the operation properly. A good outcome doesn't necessarily validate the process.

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#15

Post by emily37 » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:40 AM UTC

moioci wrote: post #7

Surely it's overly reductive to imply -- as he does -- that it's simply the number of deaths, or even the number of deaths and serious injuries combined that should drive our response to these events. The social significance of a truly terrorist act directed at one of the biggest annual events in the Boston area warrants some degree of extraordinary effort, not to mention the public danger of literal bomb-throwers on…

Not to mention inconsistent with his own reactions. I don't think rms spent all day today mourning the Holocaust or the fallen soldiers of the Civil War.

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#16

Post by john_whelan » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:40 AM UTC

tolmasky wrote: post #12

john_whelan wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+ one of those four people was a police officer

Is killing a police officer worse than killing a "normal" person?

Yes, though I may sound cliche, they put their life on the line everyday for us. When you go to work do you need to carry a gun with you and know that you might not come home at night?

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#17

Post by jstrate » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:41 AM UTC

I didn't really hear about any responses to law enforcement entering homes. If they were sweeping the area did anyone refuse entry?

Also really looking forward to the knee-jerk anti 2nd ammendment lobby using another tragedy as a prop.

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#18

Post by josephagoss » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:41 AM UTC

tolmasky wrote: post #12

john_whelan wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+ one of those four people was a police officer

Is killing a police officer worse than killing a "normal" person?

In a police state, it is.

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#19

Post by asciimo » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:42 AM UTC

Wow. I agree with RMS 100% on this point. (Should I be worried?) For all of our wonderful attributes, humans are irrational.

Re: Richard Stallman response to Boston Police efforts

#20

Post by InclinedPlane » Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 2:42 AM UTC

Stupid and tone deaf.

These guys filled hospitals with people who had their limbs blown off. And they shot cops willy nilly. The fact that only a few people are dead is small comfort. These were some of the most dangerous people in the entire country, comparing their danger to the danger of industry or automobile transit is just silly. Those are very different problems with very different solutions.