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The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

dallasobserver.com

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Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#91
post #85

Wow, I didn't realise US police were that bad. After reading this I don't think I could ever feel safe enough to visit the US. Sounds like you'd have a better chance of getting justice in an African dictatorship where at least the dont-rape-me bribe would be affordable. Tourists really should be warned about this, because it's not the image the US tourist boards present to us at all.

In fairness, as an EU citizen, I'd say most justice systems the world over are just shit. Sure, the rich and connected will get all sorts of rights and protections, but if you are Mr. Nobody (and worse, you were not born and bred in the specific area where you're being accused) then some sort of abuse is almost guaranteed. Look at the news in places like UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Canada: people "spontaneousl…

Sure, there are problems everywhere, but you cannot compare the level of bullshit in the states. Just look at the statistics on Wikipedia, and the many documentaries on YouTube and newspaper articles on it.

Yeah if you're poor and vulnerable you're screwed anywhere in the capitalist world. But in the states you're screwed even if you are middle class (absurd bails) and have a good lawyer, because the government is so over its head that they will jail you with fabricated evidence and then give you no chance of justice.

True, the UK is not much better than the US. But otherwise many countries in Europe are incomparably safer. If not because of more reasonable justice systems, just because people are more laid back and sane here than in the states.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#92
post #44
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is not an isolated case either. I don't mean facebook-comment-wise, but rather wtf-wise. From Internet, through airports and car stops to interacting with random strangers. Lot's of horrific stories where you end up in the justice system, while done absolutely nothing that breaks the law or would endanger someone in any way. But maybe because the US is so big it's bound to happen sometimes? I don't know, but USA…

USA is a lovely country, too bad it's inhabited. ;-)

Shut up. This snide comment isn't even cute.

The US is vastly better than many parts of the world and we get a disproportionate amount of attention on our ills because we're an economic powerhouse that does many things. The country is a collection of states that each have their boons and drawbacks.

Texas is near (or at) last in public education. Don't make public threats to kill children in a state that might not understand or care about sarcastic context.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#93
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"But threatening to shoot up a school, in the light of recent events... really? " Yes, absolutely, really. If you are in playground type ranting slanging match, you go of the most extreme things to say, which could cause shock in the recipient. Right now, things like school shootings are the current shock fodder, and well in peoples minds. So people will use that subject. Same with pedophiles and terrorists. And of c…

I'd say it depends on the occasion. For instance, when Louis C.K. says something similar while performing a comedy show, it's absolutely clear that he's not actually going to shoot up a school. It's meant to shock his audience. When you're posting these things on the internet to people you probably don't even know in person (so they have no way to know wether you're joking or not), things can get hairy quickly. I'm s…

You are part of the problem.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#94
Every single person who is complicit in the mental and physical (he was raped in prison, people -- and the fact that some believe that prison rape is part of the punishment need their effing head checked) trauma should be fired. Disgusting.

The fact that they don't even have the context of what was said, and yet they're still trying to hit him with a felony is beyond ludicrous. I'm honestly awestruck that a prosecutor could think that this is a trophy they want to earn.

Funnily enough, situations like this (and the various ethical issues) are the reason I decided to leave my law degree. I can't reconcile my own morals and ethics with the reality of the justice system.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#95
post #18

Wow, I didn't realise US police were that bad. After reading this I don't think I could ever feel safe enough to visit the US. Sounds like you'd have a better chance of getting justice in an African dictatorship where at least the dont-rape-me bribe would be affordable. Tourists really should be warned about this, because it's not the image the US tourist boards present to us at all.

This is not an isolated case either. I don't mean facebook-comment-wise, but rather wtf-wise. From Internet, through airports and car stops to interacting with random strangers. Lot's of horrific stories where you end up in the justice system, while done absolutely nothing that breaks the law or would endanger someone in any way. But maybe because the US is so big it's bound to happen sometimes? I don't know, but USA…

America is pretty good -- don't anecdotes from the internet says deter you.

We're a collection of states that each are allowed to do things more or less their own way. Texas is one of the states with serious issues surrounding illegal immigration, income, and education, but has about the same economic power as Canada.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#96

Wow, I didn't realise US police were that bad. After reading this I don't think I could ever feel safe enough to visit the US. Sounds like you'd have a better chance of getting justice in an African dictatorship where at least the dont-rape-me bribe would be affordable. Tourists really should be warned about this, because it's not the image the US tourist boards present to us at all.

Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia - fear these places.

A Norwegian tourist was sentenced to seven years in prison in Arizona for accidentally running over some guy's foot with his car. The incident happened after he took a wrong turn onto a one-way street and was about to turn around, when he was crowded by a group of people at a nearby music festival, apparently angry with his traffic violation. One of them punched him in the face through the car window, upon which he sped off (accidentally running over a foot in the process).

The charge was assault with a lethal weapon (the car), the case went to trial and he was convicted. It's a circus.

[Edit: Turns out the guy was not a tourist. Here is the story, written right before the sentencing: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002601538]

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#97

WIDELY MISREPORTED. Austin resident here. There is very little right about this case. He was joking, and his original post included indications of this. Prosecutors intentionally misrepresented and truncated his comments to mislead the Grand Jury. The arrest warrant issued claimed they found him by driver's license records but he has never had a Texas driver's license. They failed to protect him, an 18 year old kid,…

Sounds like an excellent lawsuit just waiting to happen.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#98

I think anyone agrees that this whole situation has been blown out of proportion on a massive scale. But threatening to shoot up a school, in the light of recent events... really? What if he actually DID shoot up a school, and afterwards people discovered that authorities WERE warned? People need to realize that what you post on the internet can be interpreted different than what you actually meant. Besides, threaten…

+1. I'm as liberal as they come, but the guy deserves the weight of the law to come down on him like a ton of bricks for even hinting at considering to shoot kids in a school.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#99
> Carter's comments were part of a duel between dorks, and may have had something to do with a game with strong dork appeal called League of Legends.

I actually laughed out loud at this. Is the Dallas Observer a rag or does the word 'dork' seem less ridiculous to people from Texas or the US?

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia - fear these places.

I was hoping to live in some of these places in the future. Would you mind clarifying why the states on this list are especially bad rather than others?

I live in Alabama and it's a beautiful state. You are always within 6-8 hours of driving from a beach or mountains. The state undergoes three major geological changes as you go from North to South, leaving some really nice, natural scenery as a result. I'm originally from Huntsville, where the majority of rocket science was fostered and learned in America. I believe that there is an area in this region that holds the highest number of PhDs in the country. Huntsville is chock full of engineers and thus schooling tends to pride itself on its math and science curriculum - offering more opportunities because of sponsorships from local engineering firms like Boeing, NASA, Lockheed Martin, Adtran, and many more.

There's this trope that Alabama (and most of the South) is a fucked up, backwards, redneck, inbred place afraid of all things change, and that just isn't true. There are episodes of each of those things - just like in California or New York. It's nice getting off of work and playing basketball out in your driveway, then enjoying a beer with all of your neighbors outside as it turns from dusk to dark. Generally people are nicer here and I try my best to be as well.

I think Alabama's a great state to live in. I also think people give in to regional stereotypes way more than they should.

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