ahahahahahahahahahaha

Anyway, Balko’s wrong. The fundamental point is that the system that allows itself to be abused in this manner should not exist in the first place, and defenders and advocates for that system are part of the problem. One might think that Balko would understand this given his typical focus, but apparently one would be wrong.

Kimberlin is a psychopath. Whether you consider him part of the Black Bloc of Occupy or just another Charles Manson, he is a murderous, conscienceless bastard who should never have been released from prison (he only served 8 years of a 50 year sentence).

I agree this is a horrible situation.

However, that it has happened to Patterico….sorry, can’t muster much sympathy. I agree these stalkers need to be prosecuted and locked up if for no other reason so that non-douche bags are not stalked.

I think Patterico can learn something from this, but I doubt he will.

1. That the police are totally ambivalent about this should be a learning experience for him. Will he learn this lesson? Doubtful

2. That wrong door SWAT raids are not a good thing and more needs to be done about preventing them. Granted in Patterico’s case they had the “right door” but in the end it turns out to be the “wrong door”–i.e. the system can be gamed. Will Patterico learn this lesson? Doubtful.

3. That our criminal legal system has got some very serious flaws in it when it comes following up on very serious issues. Will Patterico learn from this? Doubtful.

A person who cannot learn from their own experiences are people I like to classify as stupid. These are the people who run around doing the same dumb stuff over and over expecting different results.

If he was a math teacher or tech entrepreneur would it be ok to extend him sympathy then? (Wait, let me walk math teacher back since most schools are gov’t funded)

I don’t agree with Frey on much but there is nothing he does in putting away gang members for violent crimes–not smoking a fattie or catching a hummer below the age of consent, mind you, but for violent crime against people, many of whom are collateral damage–that makes it “ok” to happen to him (but not you.)

What rock have they been or are they living under that they don’t know about it by this late date?

The police* did nothing wrong in his case** so his situation holds no lessons for other sorts of police encounters.

This is not correct. As he reflects on his experience, he should realize that when police do do wrong and raid somebody wrongly then it is a big fat stinking deal. Bigger than he used to think it was. Bigger than he thought it was when he wrote about the guy getting pulled out of the (hypothetical) Hupmobile at gunpoint. Hopefully by realizing what a big stinking deal these kinds of armed police encounters, he will realize a couple things: (i) more should be done by police to prevent incorrect raids;*** (ii) more should be done to quickly and completely compensate victims of incorrect raids, false arrests, etc.; (iii) the compensation for the wrong raids, false arrests, etc. should be bigger than he previously seemed to think it should be; and (iv) policeman should be punished harder than they are now for wrong raids, false arrests, etc. That is four good lessons. It doesn’t mean that the police should compensate him in his case, or be punished in his case. In his case we all agree that police did real good.**** But the experience should impact and color how he feels about other cases, those being cases where the police didn’t do so good. He should be able to empathize with the victim’s pain more than he used to be able to do. And that should include backing off criticism of people like Kathryn Johnston and Professor Gates.

FOOTNOTES:

* As Patterico’s post points out, it wasn’t a SWAT team. It was a few police with handguns, like the Kathryn Johnston raid. Except police did him the courtesy of knocking.

** Patterico’s latest post suggests that police should have called first. He should suggest that at a cop board and watch the merriment. Police really, really, really, really don’t get this.

*** This already seems to be dawning on Patterico. See, previous footnote.

**** Cf, footnote **, above.

Was that wrong? Have you stopped beating your wife? Of course it’s wrong.

Was what happened to Patterico wrong? Of course it’s wrong. Stupid question.

The appropriate question is: why should I care?

Or more to the point, when I get through caring about all the innocent victims of State oppression, if there’s even a nanosecond remaining in my life, no I won’t care.

Karma is the ultimate bitch.

So let’s confine our imaginary vengeance to Patterico’s being pulled over and having his lawful gained cash seized from him, OK? And let’s condemn this actual thing which took place, and was not acceptable no matter who one member of the household was. Would it be OK if the wife were a prosecutor? The son, and his parents lived with him? Patterico, but the cops had killed all three of his dogs? No. As to this guy being the Speedway Bomber and being supported by lefty groups, it’s the first I’ve heard of either. Let’s grant a little interpretive charity to people who didn’t know who they were financing. I doubt he put “Bomber” on his resumé, right? But, since “the Left” is always being asked to condemn things, and norbizness isn’t here, I hereby condemn the motherfucker. So say we all.

At least that means I’m not on the lowest rung of the evolution ladder.

There are more effective ways of dealing with fascists and bringing about change.

But what people here rightly see as improper is the use of surprise forced entries for evidence preservation. That is reckless and irresponsible. Perhaps this might bring that home to Patterico but because the police reasonably thought their actions were justified I suspect it will not. Perhaps he will learn something from the lack of interest by the FBI but will he learn the right ones. I think his self image is involved in the rightness of what he does and protecting that is what is driving his more indefensible positions.

And Patterico appears to be one of the supporters of creating that pool in the first place.

Strangely, I don’t feel a great deal of sorrow for him.

No, but his support of [i]Dunphy[/i] suggests that he thought that being SWAT teamed is not really a big deal. Now he knows better, I hope. I really do.

http://patterico.com/2009/07/28/radley-balko-brian-doherty-and-an-l-a-times-editor-distort-posting-by-jack-dunphy/

I’m not certain that’s precisely true. I’m not Patterico’s biggest fan by any stretch of the imagination, and if he’s ever “legitimately” raided by the SWAT team for a crime for which he has advocated the use of SWAT tactics, I’ll frankly laugh my ass off, but I don’t think Patterico would cheer anyone being SWAT teamed just for speech he had engaged in, and certainly not under false pretences like this fake murder he was raided for.

And that’s the big difference, as I see it, in “he’s getting what he deserves” vs: “this is bullshit”. Someone set in motion events that could have very well killed him simply because they disagreed with the content of his speech.