Targeting special-needs high school students. This is what drug warriors consider “success.” From Rolling Stone.
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While at RS, I saw that Matt Taibbi is leaving for the new First Look media. Man, that’s quite a stable of provocative reporters they’re building over there.
Disgusting!
Honestly, I didn’t make it very far in the article for reasons of my mental health. In theory, prosecutors are supposed to be seeking justice, while defense attorneys have only their client’s interests to try to protect. Once it gets past a certain point, as we know, it’s simply about winning. There doesn’t seem to be any limit to behavior designed to get a conviction. We just have to hope that we don’t become targets.
I hear you Shel. This stuff gets harder and harder to read all the way through. Ugh.
[expletive] X 10,000
“an unqualified success”
“was still fighting to expel him”
There is so much glee and gloating surrounding the hunt. Animals. But so plainly on display, completely without reproach?
That’s a far more disturbing break in civilization than a simple act of unchecked animal instincts.
This is full on Lord of the Flies, everyone is cowering while the outspoken kid with a weapon terrorizes everyone and assumes leadership.
The so-called ‘justice system’ has simply been broken and gutted by poorly written laws, all that remains is a weaponized institution.
I read about Jesse Snodgrass (or someone with a sufficiently indistinguishable story) a while ago. I have very little faith in the “justice” system, the legislative system that backs it, or any of the peripheral departments, bureaus, and registries that enable the bad behaviour. Just coming out and saying that to someone generally results in them thinking that you’re a crackpot, but with a few exceptions, repeatedly bringing this stuff to their attention starts to help.
As for Taibbi, I’m in some ways surprised that he lasted as long as he did at RS. His pieces regularly rub me the wrong way, in an almost but not quite collectivist sort of way, though I think that’s what he intends. It’s worlds above the other drivel (see: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/five-economic-reforms-millennials-should-be-fighting-for-20140103, by the author of http://www.salon.com/2014/02/02/why_youre_wrong_about_communism_7_huge_misconceptions_about_it_and_capitalism/) that comes out of RS. (The Myerson piece excluded, of course.)
The fact that Greenwald has a platform to keep going from continues to give me hope…