Thought Crime

[Anarchist]

After the VT massacre,

Disscusion went abroad about the incident,

A guy from CU university made a comment sympathising with the killer
said "he felt sorry for the killer" and he could understand "why someone would do such a thing"

Let me adress that he didnt support the killer, just that he tried to personalize what the killer had gone through to better understand how and why and what he might have gone through, and what could have caused him to do it.
(this was in a debate class)

He was arrested(i dont remember the charge)

Should we be charged for thought crimes?and Sympathising? Does that mean that Premptive attacks are ok aswell? Does that mean i can kill you before you decide to kill me?

For my opinion see my Avater

[b.k. barunt]

I would say yes to preemptive, but not "before you decide to kill me". That would assume precognition on your part - not enough to take a life. However, if i know that you have decided to kill me, i would be stupid to wait for it - i'd be a sitting duck. You could take a sniper postition in a tree by the highway and wait for me to drive by on my bike. If i knew, like if you pissed off your girlfriend and she called me and told me that you were going to kill me, then i would take the sniper position in the tree.

[Guilty_Biscuit]

He was arrested(i dont remember the charge)

WTF! Arrested!?!? That is absoluteley insane! So someone who can understand how someone with a mental illness might go on a killing spree is a criminal?

I feel sorry for the killer, he obviously had major mental problems. But if he had survived the massacare he should have still been locked up & treated & if he had been caught before the massacare he should have been locked up & treated. Why is it a crime to feel sorry for people with mental illnesses?

Evil little fucktards need help before they go off the rails. (and anyone who thinks otherwise should be arrested).

[Iliad]

Are you sure it wasn't bullshit? If it wasn't it is bullshit.
You can't be arrested for expressing your thoughts in a debate class. As long as it wasn't verbal abuse or anything on those lines. He should have not been arrested.

If this is true this charge is one of the stupidest charges I had ever seen. I have seen thieves charge their victims for random reasons. But this beats the cake.

[Anarchist]

It comes down to his classmates feeling threatened/offended

the charge itself prooved that (wish i could remember, theres so many crimes now a days)

[Anarchy Ninja]

Just cause somebody thinks it does that mean they will do it? Most of the time, for normal people the answer is no. I've thought about burning my lawn so i wouldnt have to mow it, doesn't mean i'll do it but that won't stop me from thinking about it

[Kahless]

What I don't understand is how he was allowed to get his hands on a gun

[Anarchy Ninja]

Lax gun laws besides I don't think it would be difficult for one to get hold of a fire arm in America. Even if you can't buy one chances are you could steal one.

[Anarchist]

about as hard as stealing a car with the keys left in it,
just got to find one.

[Serbia]

What I don't understand is how he was allowed to get his hands on a gun

I agree with this. I'm all for gun ownership, the right to bear arms, in our country. That said, this guy bought his guns, in spite of his history of mental illness. With all the background checks already in place, don't they check for mental illness? I honestly don't know. They ought to though, that's for sure.

[vtmarik]

What I don't understand is how he was allowed to get his hands on a gun

I agree with this. I'm all for gun ownership, the right to bear arms, in our country. That said, this guy bought his guns, in spite of his history of mental illness. With all the background checks already in place, don't they check for mental illness? I honestly don't know. They ought to though, that's for sure.

The checking of one's background in terms of mental health vary from state to state. It gets dicey when the idea is that your confidential medical records are accessible by any gun shop in the country, but a simple fix would be a checkbox for background checks, so to speak.

All it would take is a notation in one's file that says "Don't sell them a gun." No muss, no fuss, no violated privacy rights.

[Bavarian Raven]

things are just going to far...

[btownmeggy]

CU University?

Anyway, this story is almost certainly apocryphal (read: not true).

The Supreme Court has seen many cases concerning freedom of speech and impending possibility of crime. There has to be substantial evidence that you're actually going to commit a crime in order for words you speak on behalf of crime to be themselves criminal. Even if this person was arrested by some small-town kook cops, there's obviously no case against him.

[btownmeggy]

CU University?

Anyway, this story is almost certainly apocryphal (read: not true).

The Supreme Court has seen many cases concerning freedom of speech and impending possibility of crime. There has to be substantial evidence that you're actually going to commit a crime in order for words you speak on behalf of crime to be themselves criminal. Even if this person was arrested by some small-town kook cops, there's obviously no case against him.

[b.k. barunt]

And what do you think would happen if you said "that's it, ive had enough, that little phony Texas accent cheesewanker has gone too far and i'm seriously thinking of shooting his ass"? If you said this in front of some concerned republicans, you would probably be behind bars post haste.

[mandalorian2298]

Well, I live in a true Anarchist's dream. The justice system in my country is almost completly harmless (for those who break the law, I mean). For example: My bike was stolen a few weeks ago. I go to the police to give a stament. The only thing that cop was really interested in was: using (truely unbelivable) feats of logic to prove to me that the current value of my bike (wich I bought for 2000 kn with a 20% discount) is no greater then 990 kn. The reason for this is: if the value of the stolen goods is bellow 1000 kn, then it's not Grand Theft and the police doesn't have to go to the scene of the crime and investigate. So, I don't think that anyone will arrest me any time soon for saying or writting something. (or if I ever feel the need to steal someone's bike (wich I would never do, because us bike riders have to stick together against arrogant drivers and the walking obsticles that they call pedestrians )).

To summerize: HA, HA, HA! JUSTICE SYSTEM IN YOUR COUNTRY WORKS!

[btownmeggy]

The only thing that cop was really interested in was: using (truely unbelivable) feats of logic to prove to me that the current value of my bike (wich I bought for 2000 kn with a 20% discount) is no greater then 990 kn. The reason for this is: if the value of the stolen goods is bellow 1000 kn, then it's not Grand Theft and the police doesn't have to go to the scene of the crime and investigate.

Wow. That's an incredible story.

But I have to ask: How long ago did you buy it?

[CrazyAnglican]

Not behind bars, but certainly on the naughty list. You may even get a visit from some comcerned citizens in black suits and earpieces.

[Cynthia]

no.. I mean I've had some dark thoughts too

[Fircoal]

Well, I live in a true Anarchist's dream. The justice system in my country is almost completly harmless (for those who break the law, I mean). For example: My bike was stolen a few weeks ago. I go to the police to give a stament. The only thing that cop was really interested in was: using (truely unbelivable) feats of logic to prove to me that the current value of my bike (wich I bought for 2000 kn with a 20% discount) is no greater then 990 kn. The reason for this is: if the value of the stolen goods is bellow 1000 kn, then it's not Grand Theft and the police doesn't have to go to the scene of the crime and investigate. So, I don't think that anyone will arrest me any time soon for saying or writting something. (or if I ever feel the need to steal someone's bike (wich I would never do, because us bike riders have to stick together against arrogant drivers and the walking obsticles that they call pedestrians )).

To summerize: HA, HA, HA! JUSTICE SYSTEM IN YOUR COUNTRY WORKS!

Lol, now that was funny, but what happens when they steal stuff from yo that was under 1000kn.

[Anarchist]

The story was on good morning colorado,
CU University is in boulder i believe, think its the CU buffaloes?
Dont know, dont care.

The story is true, there wasnt a follow up so i doubt he was charged

Mandalorian where do you live>? Id love to live in a place where i dont see cops every five minutes.

BK Barunt - you and me both

[mandalorian2298]

The only thing that cop was really interested in was: using (truely unbelivable) feats of logic to prove to me that the current value of my bike (wich I bought for 2000 kn with a 20% discount) is no greater then 990 kn. The reason for this is: if the value of the stolen goods is bellow 1000 kn, then it's not Grand Theft and the police doesn't have to go to the scene of the crime and investigate.

Wow. That's an incredible story.

But I have to ask: How long ago did you buy it?

December, last year. But, bear in mind that the original price (without discount) was 2500 kn. I kept it in good shape because I used to work as a bike-delivery boy. Trust me, there is no way that bike was worth less the 1200 kn.

Lol, now that was funny, but what happens when they steal stuff from yo that was under 1000kn.

FOS Fircoal for skimming. I bolded that part for you.
When they steal something worth less then 1000 kn, you have to catch them yourself or take it philosoficly. I chose the second option. Bah, at least now that I don't work, I have time to study and get my degree (after 7 years, it is about time, that I do )

The story was on good morning colorado,
CU University is in boulder i believe, think its the CU buffaloes?
Dont know, dont care.

The story is true, there wasnt a follow up so i doubt he was charged

Mandalorian where do you live>? Id love to live in a place where i dont see cops every five minutes.

BK Barunt - you and me both

In Croatia. And I haven't seen a cop whole day yesterday, although I have spent about 2 hours in the city.