Comments on: Even a little power corrupts absolutely https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/ Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:09:04 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.8 By: Pyre https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529429 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:09:04 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529429 Wikipedia: agent provocateur

]]> By: Greg Laden https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529428 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:13:42 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529428 BTW, here is Brandon Darby’s open letter, which should be read by anyone who wants to explore this issue.

Open Letter

]]> By: Greg Laden https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529427 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:09:26 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529427 I believe that Darby’s involvement with these Austin dudes AND his regular provision of info to the FBI predates any of the activities for which they are charged. Is that not true?

]]> By: Phillip https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529426 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:50:57 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529426 I have known Brandon Darby for years and have the greatest respect for him and his years of activist work in groups such as Common Ground. I know that his decision to work with the FBI was made after a lot of thought and soul searching. It wasn’t made lightly, or to hurt the greater community of activists, it was made to stop a small contingent of violent people from carrying out potentially lethal activities at the RNC.

A look at the facts shows that Brandon’s concerns were well founded. Over a period of months the group made riot shields by cutting up traffic barrels and driving deck screws through the plastic to serve as spikes. The group then drove across the country with a trailer containing 35 of the spiked shields plus baton and helmets. I don’t think anyone can say that spiked shields, batons and helmets are the tools of peaceful protest. After the trailer of goodies was confiscated, two of the group purchased the materials for, and assembled, a number of gasoline filled firebombs. The eight firebombs recovered weren’t ‘alleged’, or ‘hypothetical’, they were real. And they had the potential to injure or kill a number of people. These firebombs are what the ‘Texas 2’ were arrested for, not for exercising free speech. And, remember, one of the Texas 2 plead guilty this week to the charges against him.

Many in the Austin activist community, including Lisa Fithian and Scott Crow, knew of the group’s plans to violently disrupt the RNC but they chose to stand idle and not prevent the violence. They are now trying to make Brandon the scapegoat rather than admit they should have done more to self-police the group.

Brandon wasn’t the leader of the group, Crowder was. Brandon is a good person who made a tough choice because he could not stand by and let people get hurt.

]]> By: Jim Lippard https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529425 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:52:54 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/01/11/even-a-little-power-corrupts-a/#comment-529425 If Darby was acting as an agent of the government, then the defendants will have an entrapment defense. But if he wasn’t, then that defense is not available to them.

It sounds like there’s a stronger case for prosecuting Darby than for defending McKay and Crowder. Being dumb and gullible is not a defense to going along with a plan for firebombing.

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