Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon • Hacker News Board

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#151

Post by smallmancontrov » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:36 AM UTC

FergusArgyll wrote: post #91

This thread is a great lesson in "Politics is a mind virus" I recommend you read the HN thread when Ulbricht was sentenced [0] first, then come here and read all the "Honest, genuine question, why?"s Then start practicing not letting politics influence your thought process https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9626985

"Politics" is a dismissive word for crypto's evolution over the last decade. North Korea ransoming our hospitals, industrial scale gambling and scam enablement, wealthy kingpins buying self-serving policy. Crypto grew up. So did our opinions.

That doesn't change what Ross Ulbricht did, but we can now see him as continuous with a great evil that we couldn't see at the time. With more information, our opinions changed, and they were right to change.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#152

Post by ein0p » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:36 AM UTC

dimator wrote: post #113

macinjosh wrote: post #89

I am happy to see that Trump is a man of his word. I voted for him just because of this campaign promise. I would have voted for almost anyone who promised this.

This one act was more important than the Paris agreement?

[flagged]

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#153

Post by jazzyjackson » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:36 AM UTC

65 wrote: post #143

gWPVhyxPHqvk wrote: post #78

[flagged]

Do you think it's possible the 11 years he spent in prison could have had any rehabilitation effect? Or should we jail anyone who ever commits a crime to a life sentence?

Whether Ulbricht is a changed man is somewhat immaterial to the signaling to other young would-be drug kingpins that the President thinks you shouldn't be punished so harshly for setting up online black markets.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#154

Post by bb88 » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:36 AM UTC

ty6853 wrote: post #102

bb88 wrote: post #68

Genuine question: Of all the people to pardon, why him?

What do you mean? Trump just pardoned or commuted pretty much all of the J6 crowd. One guy convicted of crimes that don't require proving violence beyond a reasonable doubt is pretty tame in comparison. He is one of thousands.

What? All crimes were proved beyond a reasonable doubt according to a jury of our peers. (Or they plead guilty).

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#155

Post by throw124121276 » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:37 AM UTC

FergusArgyll wrote: post #91

This thread is a great lesson in "Politics is a mind virus" I recommend you read the HN thread when Ulbricht was sentenced [0] first, then come here and read all the "Honest, genuine question, why?"s Then start practicing not letting politics influence your thought process https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9626985

I don't see anything special about that thread. There are in fact more people there who believe the contract killing allegations than now.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#156

Post by bb88 » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:37 AM UTC

BurningFrog wrote: post #92

Keep in mind that he spent 11 years locked up. He's not getting off lightly!

It's still not enough.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#157

Post by insane_dreamer » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:37 AM UTC

Interesting. I wonder who pushed Trump to do this. Gotta be Musk. Who else?

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#158

Post by shadowgovt » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:37 AM UTC

thfuran wrote: post #144

macinjosh wrote: post #89

I am happy to see that Trump is a man of his word. I voted for him just because of this campaign promise. I would have voted for almost anyone who promised this.

How could that possibly be the most important political issue?

Unless it's your day job: never try to unpack the priorities of a voter. You'll just get sad.

(For consideration on this topic: https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691138732/th...)

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#159

Post by jazzyjackson » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:37 AM UTC

Obligatory "This is good for bitcoin"

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#160

Post by zeroonetwothree » Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 1:38 AM UTC

jsphweid wrote: post #104

From wikipedia: > "full and unconditional pardon for any crimes related to drugs". Does "any crimes related to drugs" include the murder for hire allegations? Does this mean new charges related to that could be brought against him?

Seems like it.