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Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

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Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#151

Post by olefoo »

pw0ncakes wrote: post #134
jrockway wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really respect this guy. Once you realize your life is over, you might as well take a few other people with you.

Taking innocents down is not the way to go, but I otherwise agree. Once people realize healthcare reform is not going to happen and health insurance execs start getting knocked off over rescissions and life caps, I'll secretly be smiling. (Of course, a public option would be a better and nonviolent option.)

That just means that they would get company paid bodyguards.

Yet more of people's hard-earned money going to perks for jerks rather than health-care for those paying the premiums.

Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#152

Post by olefoo »

grandalf wrote: post #112
scott_s wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ineffective terrorism is still terrorism.

Who was the attack intended to strike terror in?

Those who work for the IRS? Politicians and bureaucrats? Anyone who ever dismissed Joe Stack as a bitter has-been?

Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#153

Post by ovi256 »

dmm wrote: post #144
wedesoft wrote: post #97

In 2008 somebody in Germany got fed up with the high taxes on fuel. He couldn't afford to run his business (which required a car) any more. So he parked the car on a lawn in the city centre of Frankfurt, wrote "Fuel Profiteering http://www.acidware.de/ in big letters on it, and put it on fire. I just want to say that there are other routes to explore before taking it this far. http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/0,151…

I would say that is an unlawful and violent act intended to influence a government or civilian population and therefore a terrorist act.

Unauthorized protest ? Unlawful and possibly violent. Definitely trying to influence government and the civilian population. Therefore, terrorist. See how that goes ? The definition is so ambiguous it can be applied to anything.

Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#154

Post by aohtsab »

I'm surprised that no one's commented on what Jon Stack was talking about — the laws affecting Indie Contractor's tax status.

http://synergistech.com/ic-taxlaw.shtml

"20 Questions" of the IRS to determine status http://synergistech.com/20qs.shtml

Has anyone had any trouble with this? As an early indie contractor, I'm pretty damn concerned about this.

Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#155

Post by brown9-2 »

Femur wrote: post #32

I think it is interesting that the IRS treats certain workers differently: "This section shall not apply in the case of an individual who pursuant to an arrangement between the taxpayer and another person, provides services for such other person as an engineer, designer, drafter, computer programmer, systems analyst, or other similarly skilled worker engaged in a similar line of work." (this was cited in the letter)

To be fair, it's not that the IRS has decided to treat these workers differently, it's that Congress has instructed them to through the laws it has passed.

Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#156

Post by godDLL »

nhebb wrote: post #55
blackguardx wrote: post #16

The Department of Homeland Security released a statement calling this a criminal act, not terrorism. I am confused. A few years ago everything was considered terrorism and now nothing is. This guy wasn't targeting individual people in the IRS, he was targeting the whole establishment. This is akin to the Oklahoma City bombing. If that was a terrorist incident and 9/11 was a terrorist incident, this is too. He even ha…

It's simple. The goal of terrorism is to terrorize . If the perpetrator was part of an organization from which similar acts could be expected in the future, than that has a terrorizing effect.

The pants-bomber isn't a terrorist then, coz' he's just a lone suicide bomber. Yet what a commotion he did make.

Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#157

Post by jcromartie »

jrockway wrote: post #120
jcromartie wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> rambling, narcissistic screed Maybe to you. Most of his rant just sounded honest and true to me.

Maybe you are a rambling narcissist?

Maybe. Then again, maybe extreme actions cause people to unconsciously try to discredit the beliefs (no matter how rational) behind those actions to distance themselves from being exposed to uncomfortable truths.

Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#158

Post by jcromartie »

inc wrote: post #91
markpercival wrote: post #7

The site was pulled down, here's the copy of the rant: If you’re reading this, you’re no doubt asking yourself, “Why did this have to happen?” The simple truth is that it is complicated and has been coming for a long time. The writing process, started many months ago, was intended to be therapy in the face of the looming realization that there isn’t enough therapy in the world that can fix what is really broken. Need…

The deck is stacked everywhere, but so what? Get over it. An engineer has the ability to improve the world by building better things without resorting to destruction.

Do you have any concrete suggestions other than "building better things" that might actually lead to change that would address the issues like systemic injustice and economic subjugation in the face of endless corporate welfare?

Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#159

Post by jcromartie »

alexgartrell wrote: post #127
kelnos wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's rather defeatist. I'd say humanity doesn't have a chance of surviving if it doesn't figure out how to address the concerns of smart, disgruntled people. Keeping them in check just delays the inevitable meltdown.

I'd say smart, disgruntled people aren't as smart as they think they are. The societal problem is convincing everyone that they're a genius. When life hands them less than the best and they have to overcome it, they just get disgruntled, because "they're too smart" to deal with it. Parents, remind your children that there's always going to be someone smarter/faster/stronger/etc than them, and that they should focus o…

> there's always going to be someone smarter/faster/stronger/etc than them

However in this country (the US) the gaps are wider and the deck is stacked more than in any other industrialized nation in pretty much every category.

Re: Anti-IRS Rant of Software Engineer who Today Flew Plane into IRS Building

#160

Post by jcromartie »

grandalf wrote: post #112
scott_s wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ineffective terrorism is still terrorism.

Who was the attack intended to strike terror in?

Politicians who put laws on the books at the whim of a monied few special interests instead of listening to their constituents, and who insist on ceaselessly driving the wedge between rich and poor in their own back yard instead of pursuing policies that would lift up the whole country?
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