Sage Wisdom. Daily Brickbats (2011-06-17):

A Broward County, Florida, sheriff’s deputy spotted Robin Brown when she was bird watching one day. He thought that the sage she had with her was marijuana, and a field test seemed to confirm that. He didn’t arrest her then, but confiscated the sage and sent it to the crime…

Want to guess how much compensation she might be able to get from police and state prosecutors to make up for the harassment, arrest, abduction, sexual assault, torture, and confinement that they inflicted on her, a completely innocent bird-watcher, based on nothing more than belligerent ignorance, a fraudulent “field kit,” and pure, callous negligence?

Ha, ha, it’s a trick question. Even if she does win her lawsuit (which will be hard; the system overwhelmingly favors immunity for government violence), the police and prosecutors will never pay anything for the damages she’s awarded. Government police and state prosecutors never pay for what they do to innocent people; you pay for their crimes instead, when they send the tax bill on to you.

Sage Wisdom. Daily Brickbats (2011-06-17):

A Broward County, Florida, sheriff’s deputy spotted Robin Brown when she was bird watching one day. He thought that the sage she had with her was marijuana, and a field test seemed to confirm that. He didn’t arrest her then, but confiscated the sage and sent it to the crime…

Want to guess how much compensation she might be able to get from police and state prosecutors to make up for the harassment, arrest, abduction, sexual assault, torture, and confinement that they inflicted on her, a completely innocent bird-watcher, based on nothing more than belligerent ignorance, a fraudulent “field kit,” and pure, callous negligence?

Ha, ha, it’s a trick question. Even if she does win her lawsuit (which will be hard; the system overwhelmingly favors immunity for government violence), the police and prosecutors will never pay anything for the damages she’s awarded. Government police and state prosecutors never pay for what they do to innocent people; you pay for their crimes instead, when they send the tax bill on to you.

Q. Without government cops, and government courts, and government prisons, who will stop unscrupulous criminals from robbing honest people blind?

A. We will.

(Via Jesse Walker 2011-05-13.)

• So Long. Radley Balko: Reason Magazine articles and blog posts. (2011-05-03). “I’m particularly excited about my final project here, a themed issue Jacob Sullum and I put together and co-edited. The July issue of Reason will take an in-depth look at the criminal justice system and the ramifications of America’s massive prison population. Look for it in your mailbox or on newsstands at the beginning of next month.” – Radley Balko (Linked Tuesday 2011-05-03.)

• When Police Interrogate Children. Wendy McElroy, The Freeman | Ideas On Liberty (2011-03-28). On its surface, a case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court may seem to be legally trivial; it's about a juvenile who stole from neighborhood houses. But J.D.B. v. North Carolina could redefine both the law's "reasonable person" standard and what it means to be in custody. The case is… (Linked Saturday 2011-04-23.)

• Knowing the Real Enemy. Kevin Carson, Center for a Stateless Society (2011-04-23). In an article in Tikkun last year, Rabbi Michael Lerner argued that "[f]rom the standpoint of the large corporate interests, nothing could be better than to de-fund government or dramatically downsize it, because then it can't constrain their economic power."  ("After the Health Care Legislation," April 5, 2010). And now… (Linked Saturday 2011-04-23.)

• Georgia to Execute Troy Davis, Despite Gaping Holes In State's Case. Francis L. Holland, Gangsters in Blue (2011-04-22). Troy Davis is about to be executed — even though he may be innocent. Tell Georgia to spare Troy Davis’ life. This is an emergency announcement from Color of Change: Dear Atty,In 1991, Troy Davis was convicted of murdering a white police officer. Though there’s major evidence that Davis didn’t… (Linked Sunday 2011-04-24.)

• Derek Colling – Most Dangerous Cop in America. Ademo Freeman, Gangsters in Blue (2011-04-23). Derek Colling might be the most dangerous (active) cop in the united states. In less than 5 years as a police office Colling has killed two, including one 15 year old boy, and was just caught on film beating a man for filming him – great write up and back… (Linked Sunday 2011-04-24.)

• well, gene, i do refer to everyone from james madison to benito. Captain Capitulation, eye of the storm (2011-04-24). well, gene, i do refer to everyone from james madison to benito mussolini as a 'statist,' and to myself as an 'anti-statist.' this does not of course entail that madison and mussolini agree on everything, but it does pick out the fact that they agree on one big thing. (of course… (Linked Sunday 2011-04-24.)

• Help Christie Books publish Antonio Téllez Sol?@c3;a0;'s "Facerías" Shawn P. Wilbur, Two-Gun Mutualism & the Golden Rule (2011-04-24). Passing along a note from the Kate Sharpley Library: “Christie Books is planning to publish Facerías: Urban Guerrilla Warfare (1939-1957) by Antonio Tellez Sola and translated by Paul Sharkey, but needs your help. Please check out the link and consider donating to the publication fund through the chipin link on… (Linked Sunday 2011-04-24.)

• Bakunin on Proudhon and Marx. Shawn P. Wilbur, Two-Gun Mutualism & the Golden Rule (2011-04-24). James Guillaume, in the “Biographical Notice” in his French edition of Bakunin’s Works, includes part of an 1870 manuscript written by Bakunin on the subject of Proudhon and Marx:Proudhon, despite all his efforts to shake off the traditions of classical idealism, nonetheless remained all his life an incorrigible idealist, inspired,… (Linked Sunday 2011-04-24.)

• Changing Incentives Creates Security Risks. schneier, Schneier on Security (2011-04-14). One of the things I am writing about in my new book is how security equilibriums change. They often change because of technology, but they sometimes change because of incentives. An interesting example of this is the recent scandal in the Washington, DC, public school system over teachers changing their… (Linked Monday 2011-04-25.)

• In Other Words, Just About Everyone. Radley Balko, Radley Balko: Reason Magazine articles and blog posts. (2011-04-20). CNN recently obtained a list of the "behavioral indicators" that could subject you to an enhanced security screeing by TSA. Included on the list: Passengers who display arrogance and verbally express contempt for security procedures. Because terrorists are known for drawing attention to themselves by irritating security screeners? Seems doubtful…. (Linked Monday 2011-04-25.)