It's likely that nobody will ever read my feedback, but if enough people respond then maybe somebody will. In any case, here is my feedback.
Please provide any additional comments about the We the People petitions system:
The technology worked fine, but the response was utterly vacuous and without empathy.
Aaron Schwartz took his own life almost exactly two years ago. He was a leader, a visionary, and a friend to many of the people in our community. Most importantly he was a person trying to live his life.
Aaron was subjected to unjust and vicious prosecution for an act of peaceful civil disobedience. That prosecution lead directly to his death. He received a death sentence for downloading academic journals.
This is not a petition about "openness" and "economic growth". This is not about ensuring that "the Internet remains a free and open platform." Hell, it's not even about firing Steve Heymann for his actions. It's about the way we choose how to prosecute civil disobedience (and the way we choose not to prosecute murder http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Eric_Garner). It's about a justice system that feels increasingly unjust.
Mostly, though, it's about the death of our friend. We'd like an apology for his death, but if you're not willing to do that, at least acknowledge the value of his life. Sympathy is not enough.
Oops that was meant to be (CoffeeScript friendly) argument order, not CoffeeScript (friendly argument order). English needs better operator precedence.
It's likely that nobody will ever read my feedback, but if enough people respond then maybe somebody will. In any case, here is my feedback.
Please provide any additional comments about the We the People petitions system:
The technology worked fine, but the response was utterly vacuous and without empathy.
Aaron Schwartz took his own life almost exactly two years ago. He was a leader, a visionary, and a friend to many of the people in our community. Most importantly he was a person trying to live his life.
Aaron was subjected to unjust and vicious prosecution for an act of peaceful civil disobedience. That prosecution lead directly to his death. He received a death sentence for downloading academic journals.
This is not a petition about "openness" and "economic growth". This is not about ensuring that "the Internet remains a free and open platform." Hell, it's not even about firing Steve Heymann for his actions. It's about the way we choose how to prosecute civil disobedience (and the way we choose not to prosecute murder http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Eric_Garner). It's about a justice system that feels increasingly unjust.
Mostly, though, it's about the death of our friend. We'd like an apology for his death, but if you're not willing to do that, at least acknowledge the value of his life. Sympathy is not enough.