Was Sherman Austin unfairly punished for his website content?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the case of Sherman Austin, who was punished for content related to his website. Participants explore issues of freedom of speech, legal repercussions, and the implications of government actions regarding online content. The conversation touches on legal frameworks, personal experiences with the justice system, and broader societal concerns.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that Sherman Austin did not post illegal content himself, raising questions about the fairness of his punishment.
  • There is mention of a law from 1997 that makes it illegal to distribute information intended for committing a federal crime, which some participants believe was misapplied in Austin's case.
  • Concerns are expressed about the lack of media support for Austin and the perceived harshness of his sentence, including restrictions during parole.
  • Some participants discuss the implications of political affiliations, suggesting that voting for certain candidates may contribute to such legal outcomes.
  • Personal anecdotes are shared regarding similar experiences with the legal system, highlighting feelings of injustice and the complexities of navigating legal repercussions.
  • Participants debate the nature of freedom of speech in the context of government regulation and the potential for tyranny in legal enforcement.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the fairness of Austin's punishment and the broader implications for freedom of speech. There is no clear consensus, as some argue for the protection of free speech while others highlight the legal responsibilities associated with online content.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific legal frameworks and personal experiences, but there are unresolved questions regarding the application of laws and the definitions of free speech and tyranny. The discussion reflects a variety of perspectives without reaching a definitive conclusion.

member 5645
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sherman+austin

TONS of info out there on this.

Basically, this guy ran a website with a script that allowed others to post messages on it (wow!). Someone put a link to a page that included basic bomb making instructions.
SHERMAN AUSTIN DID NOT POST THE LINK, NOR DID HIS SITE CONTAIN THE ALLEGED INFORMATION.
A law passed in 1997, sponsored by one Diane Feinstein (sp?) , makes it illegal to distribute illegal information with the intent to commit a federal crime.

This guy's site was an anarchy site.

He is presently serving a felony sentence for 1 year, and when he gets out, his parole has all kinds of inane limits like not being able to use a computer, and not associating with others that wish to change the government.


Things that disturb me is:
The media didn't come to this guy's aide. No one did.
His property was destroyed, and then told it was lost.
He didn't even make the link, or the page. It would be like charging physicsforums for my posts.
The prosecutor looked ot push a deal of ONE MONTH in prison, and the judge decided to give him the max and refused to acknowledge the plea deal.

This guy got SCREWED. I think his ideas on having no government are lame, but I don't think this is right at all.
 
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Woohoo! Freedom of speech! Yay!
 
Adam said:
Woohoo! Freedom of speech! Yay!


More than you've got.
 
Depends how you view it. We don't have guaranteed freedom of speech here. On the other hand, we also don't have a government stamping it out at every opportunity.

http://www.progressive.org/webex/mcwatch.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just chiding you a little, Adam :)
 
phatmonky said:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sherman+austin

TONS of info out there on this.

Basically, this guy ran a website with a script that allowed others to post messages on it (wow!). Someone put a link to a page that included basic bomb making instructions.
SHERMAN AUSTIN DID NOT POST THE LINK, NOR DID HIS SITE CONTAIN THE ALLEGED INFORMATION.
A law passed in 1997, sponsored by one Diane Feinstein (sp?) , makes it illegal to distribute illegal information with the intent to commit a federal crime.

This guy's site was an anarchy site.

He is presently serving a felony sentence for 1 year, and when he gets out, his parole has all kinds of inane limits like not being able to use a computer, and not associating with others that wish to change the government.


Things that disturb me is:
The media didn't come to this guy's aide. No one did.
His property was destroyed, and then told it was lost.
He didn't even make the link, or the page. It would be like charging physicsforums for my posts.
The prosecutor looked ot push a deal of ONE MONTH in prison, and the judge decided to give him the max and refused to acknowledge the plea deal.

This guy got SCREWED. I think his ideas on having no government are lame, but I don't think this is right at all.
A vote for Bush is a vote for this sort of thing.
 
Zero said:
A vote for Bush is a vote for this sort of thing.


Perhaps, but Kerry is even more pro lawyer than Bush.
 
Maybe you mean about malpractice caps and such? But that's a different kind of lawyer, not a prosecuter over the top but a suer over the top (perhaps). The latter kind might raise our helath costs (but not as much as is sometimes threatened) but the former type inflicts tyranny on us. There is just no other word for what happened to this guy. Hey whatever happened to the fourth amendment?
 
selfAdjoint said:
Maybe you mean about malpractice caps and such? But that's a different kind of lawyer, not a prosecuter over the top but a suer over the top (perhaps). The latter kind might raise our helath costs (but not as much as is sometimes threatened) but the former type inflicts tyranny on us. There is just no other word for what happened to this guy. Hey whatever happened to the fourth amendment?


Tyranny in the form of physical lockdown or financial/emotional lockdown is not freedom. My thoughts on Kerry are more directed towards worrying about trial lawyers suing me every second - however, I could be over sensitive to this because I live, LITERALLY, in the highest lawyer per capita city in the USA :rolleyes:

Anyways, back on topic. Yeah, I don't know what happened. Or actually, I do.
My dad had the same thing done to him and is now a felon, just as Mr. Austin is. While my father had nothing to do with Anarchy sites, he testified and made tons of calls to get a senator (that my dad met a couple times via his job for the government) to look into what was happening on behalf of these other two guys. Next thing you know the US attorneyis going after my dad. They trump up charges, offer a low plea, the judge denies and gives the max despite proven purjored testimony, and here we are. They don't stick to the judge's deal and double restitution, take assets that they admitted were illegal to take, and basically stuck it to him. The process of turning around such wrongs is a long and tedious one, but I'd rather talk about such things after the fact, not right now :smile:
 

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