Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by genericuser 4114 days ago
>"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.

2 comments

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

Aaron Swartz tried...

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?

"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.

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.