[shit_parade]

>Unfortunately, it became a "mere" tragedy that I fear will wind up doing far less to solve the problems he wanted to than if he'd stuck it out.

This reads as victim blaming to me, perhaps you didn't intend it such but the rest of your comment also sounds like whitewashing to me:

"friends do time...wasn't horrible" thanks for your anecdote, most people find being stripped of their freedom and locked in a box horrible.

"no doubt the prosecutor was overzealous...but..Swartz...ham-fisted and a bit unhinged", way to make light of Swartz's mental condition and suicide.

"actually guilty...however absurd..it's law", so the law is always right no mater how absurd? How grotesque.

"six-month term would have been the best thing that could have happened to his cause", how about you volunteer to be a felon then?

[rwallace]

It doesn't read that way to me. To be clear, as far as I'm concerned Aaron Swartz's death was judicial murder, but we have to be able to discuss strategy coldly and impartially without being accused of victim blaming, because cold and impartial discussion of strategy is something that can actually save lives. Please be less trigger-happy with accusations of victim blaming in future.

[genericuser]

>"actually guilty...however absurd..it's law", so the law is always right no mater how absurd? How grotesque.

You don't get laws changed by disobeying them, and not being willing to risk the penalties. You have to work to get the law changed if you feel it is absurd.

[wolfgke]

> You have to work to get the law changed if you feel it is absurd.

Aaron Swartz tried...

[shit_parade]

Help me understand, are you claiming that by committing suicide Aaron was unwilling to risk the penalties of breaking the law?

Generally laws are changed by disobeying them, did you miss the day in civics when they discussed rosa parks? How about Lawrence v Texas?

[AnimalMuppet]

"You don't get laws changed by disobeying them, and not being willing to risk the penalties."

You do get laws changed by disobeying them, and being willing to risk the penalties.

[genericuser]

Exactly he wasn't willing to risk the penalty of being labeled a felon.

And since suicide itself is a felony in something like 20 states, maybe not the best way to go to avoid being labeled a felon.