I assumed you meant intent to commit the actual action. As for intent to cause fear, that's for the court to decide. The court's there for a reason you know.
If he will be found guilty and survives the years in jail, I would really like to see if he will become a model citizen who have learnt from his mistakes or if he'll turn into a real terrorist, by the anger and from staying in prison with real criminals.
I know a better story, I remember reading about a some kind of president willing to send (for free) weapons, military equipment along with personnel to train terrorist groups who chew other people hearts for real, but I think he was joking too.
The argument that 'this is the law; he broke it and that's all that matters' is ridiculous when the punishment is so out of proportion with the 'offense'. If you start incarcerating people on such a flimsy pretense of intent to commit a crime then we're even further down the road to a police state than I thought.
The US leads the world in jailing people and also in keeping its own population in a constant state of anxiety. This story speaks to both of those factors. I suggest watching the documentary 'The House I Live In' to get a better perspective on the state of the penal/judicial system.
What a waste of a life and money. So this kid will pretty much never get to go to college now, miss out on the best decade of his life for sure, most likely find it extremely hard to any job with a criminal record.
On top of that, I would be super surprised if he is not psychologically destroyed after being put away for so long for something so stupid, which in the end would fuck him up in the head more than anything else.
Was there even any psychological instigation into his mental health??
I think anyone who has ever played a Multiplayer game has seen worse comments than his..
did you mean nuke the thread from orbit or...? because some people might misunderstand your post and disappear you
Mainly the opinion of certain people who actual, truly believe that it's right to put someone in jail for 8 years for something that most reasonable people would recognize as a obvious joke, just because "ITS THE LAAAAAAW". It's at a point where I believe the human race needs a little reset, when people who can ruin the worlds economic can get a new million dollar paid job, and someone using his free speech to joke is thrown in jail....
You all are mentioning punishment when no punishment has been decided yet. Eight years is the maximum he'll get apparently, and that most likely won't happen. Use your brains. Look, we don't know what he'll be sentenced with, or if he'll even be found guilty of anything. If it was up to me, I'd give him a slap on the wrist with a $250 fine and some community service to teach him a lesson about not being a complete idiot. But it's not up to me, it's up to the court system.
But it's not up to me, it's up to the court system.
And I expect that system to handle this with it's usual outstanding level of service and deliver a reasonable and well thought out ruling. Right guys? Guys?!
Look, the kid is in the teeth of the machine now. If he escapes spending multiple years in jail at this point, it'll be a miracle. His bail is set at $500,000. He isn't going anywhere anytime soon. They've seen to that.
I can't believe some of you people saying that it's alright. You obviously have no comprehension of how bad losing 5 months of your time is, much less 8 years. Of course losing that much time of his life over empty threats will drive him mental, I would too. More importantly is that the consequence itself serves no reason, the kid will come out unstable and your idiotic paranoia fears will become reality to some innocent person most likely.
and I'd like to know why he seems to be targeted. Every time I play a game I get threatened with my mom being raped by a spoon even with "jks" at the end. It's like some of you bashing on him and saying it's the law don't understand that many laws are flawed and what's worse is you don't see the logic of law.
By the way there's about 10 million more gamers you may want to arrest.
Some very, very disappointing remarks in this thread. How sad that so many people here seem to have bought into the culture of fear that has become America's most successful industry.
all the fucked up comments here doesn't surprise me one bit really.
angsty nerd makes a sarcastic remark, and people says he deserves to be imprisoned for 5 months...
yeah, people suck just as much as they always have.
The fact that this kid is getting the beating of a lifetime in jail "because the terrorists" is just despicable and makes it clear that we're going down the slippery slope of trading essential liberty for the illusion of security. It's frightening how much our freedom of speech has been curtailed in the pursuit of securing the country against a vague and unspecific enemy.
The real terrorists are the people that put him in jail. Carter will come out a very damaged person, even if he gets acquitted.
Frankly this is straight up an abuse of power from a group of select individuals who will never be held accountable for their irresponsible acts.
To top it all off there seems to be this mindset from a lot of people about the 'law is the law' you're guilty of the crime so do the time etc.
I can understand why authorities might want to act upon seemingly meaningless threats in wake of the prior shootings. However incarcerating an 18 year old with no previous criminal record or misdemeanors is outrageously & terrifyingly stupid.
At the MOST they should of detained him for 1 day... spoke to his parents/teachers/peers determined what his mindset was... maybe searched the house/ his room for weapons evidence of any intent and then placed him under watch for a while.
However even that would be extreme... it would be a better solution to fking locking somebody up for 3 months.
Congratulations America you've managed to turn your prideful mandate of 'Innocent until proven guilty' right upon its own head. Without a doubt this kid is going be psychologically damaged and will struggle to become the *average Joe* once again.
I thought I'd jump in here and give a perspective from inside.
I currently work as a Corrections Officer at a Medium to High security State Prison. I see kids (18 and up) who come into the system everyday here. You can get a flat 2-year term for having an illegal firearm on your person. Some of the kids here treat a small term like that as a "right of passage", and walk around the place like they have something coming to them. There is also a definite "pack mentality"; especially among the young offenders. They prey on the weak....period. There's the two "F's", and forgive the vulgarity, which is: Fuck or Fight. You either do one or the other; either way, there's violence. Though we try our best to have a corrective environment (ie., schooling, crafts, counseling, sports, religious services, etc.); this is a place where people come to do their time, and sometimes become a better criminal before they get out (if they get out).
Prison isn't a place to send some kid who's made some pretty asinine and reprehensible comments on the internet; especially in light of several events where just such a thing has happened. At the very least; the kid needs a good slap upside the head (not figuratively).
I also think people here are jumping the gun. There hasn't been a sentencing yet. Lots of menial crimes have potentially lengthy sentences; that doesn't mean that the judge is mandated to give them the max no matter what. I can see this kid getting a lighter sentence, with time already served taken into account. Perhaps a few additional months in jail and/or a fine, and community service.
The problem with the internet today, is the supposed "anonymity" that people garner from behind a keyboard. "Internet Warrior" is a term that comes to mind. People say things online, that they would NEVER say in real life to someone's face. In my book, that makes you a coward; but that is my opinion. Some people need to realize that actions (or words) have consequences, no matter what the venue is that you use to spew your hateful thoughts/words. If you say something online that pisses someone off; you'd better be ready for the very real possibility of them showing up at your door someday.
Having said all that, and having worked in a prison now for going on 6 years now; this isn't a case that warrants such an extreme amount of time. Keep in mind; that we don't know everything that has gone down with this kid, or intentions; people here are just jumping all over it, like it's a done deal. There could be more to it; or it could be exactly as it's laid out.
But in 8 years; if it turns out this way, this kid won't be coming out of the other side a model citizen by any means. Prison is ALL about survival; any way you can. You can think you won't do a certain thing, or be a certain way, or join any group(s); but you'll never know the reality, until that door closes behind you...and you're all you've got.
In my final opinion (I ramble, I know); this kid should get time already served, and community service. Free speech doesn't give you the right to hurt other people (thinking of the Florida Baptist group that protests dead soldier's funerals), but it is a right that needs protecting.
Thanks for chiming in Keith, it's good to see from another perspective.
As for myself, I think this is pretty batshit insane. No, I don't think the kid should have said something that dumb. However I think when online and especially in the middle of a game we have all said some dumb shit from time to time, and we all have things we regret saying, that we didn't really mean, etc. I have seen FAR worse threats online that I would deem far more real than this, which was clearly in jest.
If anything I would assume they would first check his history of violence and misconduct, then have him mentally evaluated to see if anything is wrong at home, upstairs, etc. before throwing him straight into a place where he can be both mentally and physically injured by others. This whole thing just seems crazy - 8 years? did he actually hurt someone? I've seen cases of rape and murder that get far less than 8 years, let alone an internet threat, even if it was real. America.. what the fuck.
and for the "it's the law" people: sure, I think like that too, except we need to be thinking for ourselves as well and asking: is this the type of country I want to live in? Does it make sense for this to be the law? And by being okay with these incidents now and again you have to realize it will only get worse and one day you could find yourself in a situation that you know is complete horseshit but now you're doing 10 years hard time for using butter as lubrication on your dilly while browsing that naughty webcam site past 8pm.
Does anyone else actually feel kinda sorry for the kid? Don't get me wrong, I strongly oppose any message that had similar implications to that of what he wrote on LoL, but making comments like "Let him rot in jail" is absolutely disgusting and just goes to show how basic human compassion seems to be dying out completely.
Then again maybe its a bad idea to pipe up about this, people will just go "Oh right, so you want another Columbine incident then?" No, that's definitely not what I want. Lets just put things into perspective and understand that the punishment does not fit the 'crime' in any way whatsoever.
Does anyone else actually feel kinda sorry for the kid? Don't get me wrong, I strongly oppose any message that had similar implications to that of what he wrote on LoL, but making comments like "Let him rot in jail" is absolutely disgusting and just goes to show how basic human compassion seems to be dying out completely.
Then again maybe its a bad idea to pipe up about this, people will just go "Oh right, so you want another Columbine incident then?" No, that's definitely not what I want. Lets just put things into perspective and understand that the punishment does not fit the 'crime' in any way whatsoever.
I completely agree. Anyone that references previous events in defense of the kids sentence I feel has a worse psyche than the kids suicide watch. Because fear projecting severe actions on others has mass scale repercussions doing more harm than good. The FBI should have had went as far as an investigation for intent and capability. Not BS like jail sentences and mental counseling for an obvious joke. It's actually scary how these events like columbine 911 sandy etc. are topics in which your words are emphasized 1000% when in reality had he said a dead baby joke or a rape your mother joke he'd be fine.
It's actually sad that from what I heard he was responding to a comment along the lines "your crazy" and he followed up with a sarcastic exaggerated joke which caused this shit-storm of fear.
I won't even comment on people saying "let him rot in jail" because really there's no words for me to describe them in the English language.
It might be true that we don't know all the detail.
BUT....what i find extremely sad is that there are actually people in this thread (As far as i see), that are perfectly fine with this situation, based on the data we know.
There are actually people here are are ok with kid being arrested just for saying something over facebook or such. Yeah, it's stupid to do so, but people aren't robots you now, they have feelings. That's why we all have situations where we "vent out", either by bitching, writing something on face, twitter, whatever.
I mean, this is so messed up (unless there is something MUCH more sinister to the his kid that we don't know yet), that i don't even know where to begin.
It almost looks like some people were pissed of for being helpless with all the shooting and that was going on past year or two, and decided they would "vent out" on this kid. I simply can't find any other reason to do so...
And what's worse, if he even survives, who knows in what kind of mental condition he will be, once he's out? He lost 8 years of his life in prison, and who knows what kind of crap he had to go through, he will have hard time getting job, or maybe even normal life with wife and kids....for what, SAYING something over INTERNET?!
I mean, i could totally see this guy just snapping at some point and actually do the real killing. Which would be tragic of course, but what would be even more tragic in that case, is that it would be all fault of those guys who put him in prison, but at that point, NOONE would care about that, they would just see a evil lunatic who killed just because, no reason really.....
Eh really, sorry for being more....aggressive here, but people who actually approve this (based on just data we have now)....i serioulsly can't understand them. Guy MIGHT do something so lets just lock him in prison for good just in case? Geez...
This is starting to look like that TV series where people were put in prison for crimes they would commit in future....
What's wrong of approving of his arrest? His arrest was justified. He broke the law in a pretty disturbing, albeit most likely harmless, way. How they handled it, not so much. He should've been put on house arrest in lieu of the trial instead of being sent to jail with a highly overinflated bond. But this idiot kid's comedic timing is so shitty considering recent events that the penal system feels obligated to handle it this way. I feel sorry for the guy as well.
I had a friend in high school who jokingly said he would blow up the school while amongst a group of his friends. Some person ended up reporting him. The school took it seriously, but he ended up with community service after further investigation and consideration. A few things helped his situation: his young age and status as a minor, word of mouth instead of visual text displayed on a website, and probably the non-graphic nature of what he said.
As KeithC said, and I have already said, there hasn't been a sentence yet and it's unlikely he'll get anything drastic besides a fine, community service, and maybe minimal jail time. But we'll have to wait and see. A big thing that'll hurt this kid in the long run is all the press this has been getting.
PolyHertz, I was referring to a sentence carried out by a judge, not the jail system's inability to stop in-house violence.
Supa, i feel like it's horribly wrong to arrest someone for just posting stuff on facebook (or anything similar), especially after even saying at the end J/K....law or no law, that just feels wrong. If you were to check what anyone ever said among friends, written or not, you would probably have to arest 90% of USA citizens by now....
Again, it was stupid thing to do, but it's just wrong to arrest it for something like that....at least imo anyway...
What's wrong of approving of his arrest? His arrest was justified. He broke the law in a pretty disturbing, albeit most likely harmless, way. How they handled it, not so much. He should've been put on house arrest in lieu of the trial instead of being sent to jail with a highly overinflated bond. But this idiot kid's comedic timing is so shitty considering recent events that the penal system feels obligated to handle it this way. I feel sorry for the guy as well.
I had a friend in high school who jokingly said he would blow up the school while amongst a group of his friends. Some person ended up reporting him. The school took it seriously, but he ended up with community service after further investigation and consideration. A few things helped his situation: his young age and status as a minor, word of mouth instead of visual text displayed on a website, and probably the non-graphic nature of what he said.
As KeithC said, and I have already said, there hasn't been a sentence yet and it's unlikely he'll get anything drastic besides a fine, community service, and maybe minimal jail time. But we'll have to wait and see. A big thing that'll hurt this kid in the long run is all the press this has been getting.
PolyHertz, I was referring to a sentence carried out by a judge, not the jail system's inability to stop in-house violence.
Just to put your position in perspective, it was illegal to aid the escape of runaway black slaves and obviously people thought that it should be illegal. Just because "it's the law" doesn't make it right and that doesn't mean it should be blindly followed. If a law is wrong, it most certainly should be challenged when excessive actions are taken against people under that law. And this law is excessive. The most action they should have taken against the kid is monitor him covertly and observe any behavior that might indicate criminal intent. The law is not infallible and it is not always just. It is the duty of all free men and women to challenge the law when it does not support our natural rights.
Just to put your position in perspective, it was illegal to aid the escape of runaway black slaves and obviously people thought that it should be illegal.
Sorry; but I have to take issue with that. Comparing the underground railroad, and freeing of enslaved humans....isn't anywhere near the same as making a very sinister joke about killing children in a school and eating their hearts. So I can't really see anyone using that to put it all into perspective. But, I understand your intent.
There are guys inside that are doing more time for having too many drugs on them (which would qualify them as a distributor, and thus a higher sentence), than someone who has committed murder and gotten a reduced sentence (2nd degree, manslaughter, etc.) . That inequality should be addressed. We have numerous Americans jailed on simple drug charges, where probation, community service and counseling would be more sufficient. I'm not arguing at all that our system is flawed and needs work. But let's not demonize the American system without realizing how messed up other Countries (even first world) are as well. The American-bashing gets old.
Overlord, um, that comparison didn't make any sense. The problem isn't with the law itself that he broke. The laws are fine. It's with how the situation's been handled. He should've been put on house arrest until his court date and given something along the lines of a fee and community service. The press also shouldn't have gotten involved.
The kid was an idiot and thought it'd be funny to publicly joke about the mass murder of children, in a very graphic fashion, on a social media website for all to see and mis/interpret. After being called crazy. It obviously doesn't help that, according to reports, he lives right near an elementary school, and that this happened mere months after Sandy Hook. It's his own dumb fault and he's just been extremely unlucky.
So they gave him 8 years of jail time as if he has ALREADY committed the crime that he was obviously joking about? Ridiculous, I've seen comments similar or worse than the one he posted all over the Internet (especially on Youtube). If they had actually found a gun in his house, then it'd be another matter. The lady that reported him must feel real good about herself for ruining his entire life.
Sorry; but I have to take issue with that. Comparing the underground railroad, and freeing of enslaved humans....isn't anywhere near the same as making a very sinister joke about killing children in a school and eating their hearts. So I can't really see anyone using that to put it all into perspective. But, I understand your intent.
There are guys inside that are doing more time for having too many drugs on them (which would qualify them as a distributor, and thus a higher sentence), than someone who has committed murder and gotten a reduced sentence (2nd degree, manslaughter, etc.) . That inequality should be addressed. We have numerous Americans jailed on simple drug charges, where probation, community service and counseling would be more sufficient. I'm not arguing at all that our system is flawed and needs work. But let's not demonize the American system without realizing how messed up other Countries (even first world) are as well. The American-bashing gets old.
This is a good debate.
It is very much applicable. It was a law that was very wrong and criminalized people for helping others that were subjugated by another very wrong law. Forget the emotional content and think of the basic ethics of the issue. Criminalizing certain speech is no more right than criminalizing people who give aid to slaves. When free speech is abridged, we are all enslaved.
I think some script from Star Trek TNG episode "Drumhead" is very apt to this situation and the expansion of the war on terror in general:
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: You know, there are some words I've known since I was a schoolboy: "With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably." Those words were uttered by Judge Aaron Satie, as wisdom and warning. The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: The Seventh Guarantee is one of the most important rights granted by the Federation. We cannot take a fundamental principle of the Constitution and turn it against a citizen.
Lieutenant Worf: Sir, the Federation *does* have enemies. We *must* seek them out!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Oh, yes. That's how it starts. But the road from legitimate suspicion to rampant paranoia is very much shorter than we think. Something is wrong here, Mister Worf. I don't like what we have become.
It's scary how much that fits the current climate in our nation.
Overlord, um, that comparison didn't make any sense. The problem isn't with the law itself that he broke. The laws are fine. It's with how the situation's been handled. He should've been put on house arrest until his court date and given something along the lines of a fee and community service. The press also shouldn't have gotten involved.
The kid was an idiot and thought it'd be funny to publicly joke about the mass murder of children, in a very graphic fashion, on a social media website for all to see and mis/interpret. After being called crazy. It obviously doesn't help that, according to reports, he lives right near an elementary school, and that this happened mere months after Sandy Hook. It's his own dumb fault and he's just been extremely unlucky.
I wholeheartedly disagree. The law is wrong. We've become so paranoid that the mere mentioning of violence is grounds for taking action against a person because we're so gripped with abject and unjustified fear. What's more, it's not the government's job to provide security, that's what the 2nd amendment is for. We are supposed to provide our own security while the government makes sure that our constitutional rights are not infringed. They can't both provide security and uphold the constitution. That's a conflict of interest. The whole system has lost its mind chasing after unspecific threats and dangers to the public. When the government views its own citizens as a threat to itself, then we have made the despicable first step into tyranny.
It is very much applicable. It was a law that was very wrong and criminalized people for helping others that were subjugated by another very wrong law. Forget the emotional content and think of the basic ethics of the issue. Criminalizing certain speech is no more right than criminalizing people who give aid to slaves. When free speech is abridged, we are all enslaved.
I think the people of the day would take issue with you, but have it as you want; I disagree, and I'll leave it at that.
Better example, I guess no one should objects about the law in the Arabic countries which allows stoning of women for adultery, because "its the law"... :P
Edit: I mean, fuck, half the prisons in the U.S. exist to make a profit and are own by massive corporations
Correct and they float them on the stock exc to boot !
The people who agree with this kids arrest and imprisonment as morally right and fair, then you honestly have serious reality problems and I would suggest doing some home work on your moral compasses.
This is a slippery slope (one of many) that the US is heading toward, a culture of angst, paranoia and extremist views while the constitution sits in the shadows and rots.
You can help the dude out if you want or you can complain about 'Merica and the police state. Honestly, if they can't raise the 10% of the 500k bail needed to free him it is just how sad the internet is. Full of bitchers and devoid of doers.
I said let him rot in jail. You didn't know I was joking in that post? Talk about taking my words out of context. Can you Plebs not get sarcasm from mere words? jk lol.
I don't get your attitude here. Either we raise the $500,000 bail or we're what ... just whiners? Getting him out on bail does absolutely nothing to address the systemic problems that put him in there in the first place.
Best case scenario, we raise half a million dollars to get him out for a month before he gets sentenced.
A better question to ask is why his bail is such an insane amount of money.
I said let him rot in jail. You didn't know I was joking in that post? Talk about taking my words out of context. Can you Plebs not get sarcasm from mere words? jk lol.
You wrote a long drawn out message followed by "I mean seriously, do you people really want to see another Sandy Hook Elementary or have you forgotten about it?" Your post didn't sound like it had any comic value or sarcasm to it at all, more angry than funny.
Kudos to you though for taking the mature route and branding most people in the thread as 'Plebs'. (Just in case you didn't get it - /sarcasm)
You can help the dude out if you want or you can complain about 'Merica and the police state. Honestly, if they can't raise the 10% of the 500k bail needed to free him it is just how sad the internet is. Full of bitchers and devoid of doers.
Idiocy at it's finest !
The tool used to lock him up is now being used to bail him ?
I can't help but see the irony of this.
Shame on you VelvetElvis and fvck your sarcasm mate, it is just as warped as your legal system :poly142:
I think the people of the day would take issue with you, but have it as you want; I disagree, and I'll leave it at that.
They just may, but that doesn't make them right, nor you. Take away free speech and we're just as enslaved as blacks were back then. The 4th amendment is dead, so is the 3rd and 8th. Next up soon will be the 1st.
Well; opinions vary Overlord. We're going to have to agree to disagree.
Alright, I had to go back and re-read your comments. I see what you might be thinking. Forget the railroad and the boy's comment, I'm talking about the laws behind the two issues. I'm saying it was wrong to criminalize aiding slaves and it is currently wrong to criminalize speech as an act of terrorism, not that Carter's vulgar comment is as righteous as the underground railroad. That's not important. What matters is that speech is being criminalized for the sake of security and that just goes against everything that America was founded on.
Have I clarified my argument sufficiently? It's the ethics of the law I'm concerned about, not the righteousness of the people breaking the law.
As Franklin said, "Those who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserves neither liberty nor safety."
But we've gone over the deep end and traded many of our liberties because we're desperate for some security theater to assuage our fears. Ever since 9/11, we've become a nation of quivering cowards that faint at the mere mentioning of the word "terrorist". We let the government raise the banner of war against terrorism and use it to push our civil rights aside in the pursuit of vague and unspecific enemies that never dwindle in supply so that we're at a perpetual state of war. We see monsters in every shadow and send the police after every person that scares ignorant white middle class sheep. That's the problem with this law. When you broaden the definition of terrorist is, eventually everyone is a terrorist.
that not Murica, a acquaintance of mine got in jail for 6 monts for saying "if i was to make a school shooting, id shoot you first" to a in his opinion stupid chick, during a discussion about school schootings
i think people are very butthurt about stupid jokes about terrorism, all around the world, even thou its ridiculous.
Would you point me to that particular statistic? I know we aren't in operation to make a profit; not even close.
Not sure where the 50 percent statistic came from, but there are literally dozens of resources highlighting how "demand" for corporate prisons is creating a need to arrest and incarcerate individuals who, in many instances, should never see the inside of a jail cell, all in the name of making more money.
Add this to the fact that the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, is the only country to still imprison children for life with no chance of parole, and sees illegal immigration as a major source of corporate profit, and suddenly it's much harder for advocates of the U.S. "justice" system to take the moral high ground. I'm not insinuating that's what you're doing, but many people seem to think that this is acceptable, which for a supposedly civilized country that sees itself as a "world leader," is clearly not.
The trend toward privately operated correctional facilities has continued with 85,604 adults (3.7% of the total US prison population) now housed in 107 privately operated prisons.
That number is based on the BJS census data from 2005. They don't have any census data newer than that and I'm sure the private share of prisoners has probably grown since then but there's pretty much zero chance that it's anywhere near 50%.
The number of privatized prisons has increase exponentially since the early 90s. Latest figure I could find is 150 privatized prisons with ~100k inmates. Also the number of people in jail has increased drastically in the USA since 1980, even though most crime rates down.
According to Wikipedia:That number is based on the BJS census data from 2005. They don't have any census data newer than that and I'm sure the private share of prisoners has probably grown since then but there's pretty much zero chance that it's anywhere near 50%.
However, something else to consider is that just because the number of inmates incarcerated in for-profit prisons hasn't grown to 50 percent on the national level, some states are more enthusiastic about this business model than others - including Louisiana:
"A recent eight-part series in the New Orleans Times-Picayune chronicled how more than half of Louisianas 40,000 inmates are housed in prisons run by sheriffs or private companies as part of a broader financial incentive scheme. The detention business goes beyond just criminal prisoners."
Again, look at how the profits of corporate prisons have grown, and how companies like GEO Group are confident "regarding the outlook for the industry" and what it means for their bottom lines, and the fact that national for-profit prison populations haven't reached 50 percent doesn't seem like such a good thing.
This disturbing trend is most definitely not something Americans should be proud of.
Sure, if you go back far enough everything is infinite percentage growth. Makes for a great article headline but it's useless if you want any sort of perspective.
I am very much against private prisons but there are far better arguments to be made against them that don't involve misrepresenting information.
Everyone needs to chill the fuck out. When I was a teenager I would draw pictures of teachers I hated getting raped by demons with cocks the size of a Volkswagen projecting semen out of their nostrils, was caught several times and just got detention or saturday school. I knew kids that said things like They want to shoot that kid, or kill that person. Now they are doctors and superintendents, they grew up just fine despite having had the unfortunate experience of being a teenager. Teenagers are all pretty stupid, and on top of being so dumb their life sucks, but that's part of it, being dumb and making mistakes that you learn from and develop into a functioning adult. Sure there are school shootings and crazy assholes, but that is every country everywhere in the world, a kid talking shit on facebook is nothing to even bat an eyelash about, I didn't even find what he said very offensive. what year was it when the world collectively got so much sand poured into their vaginas?
Everyone needs to chill the fuck out. When I was a teenager I would draw pictures of teachers I hated getting raped by demons with cocks the size of a Volkswagen projecting semen out of their nostrils, was caught several times and just got detention or saturday school. I knew kids that said things like They want to shoot that kid, or kill that person. Now they are doctors and superintendents, they grew up just fine despite having had the unfortunate experience of being a teenager. Teenagers are all pretty stupid, and on top of being so dumb their life sucks, but that's part of it, being dumb and making mistakes that you learn from and develop into a functioning adult. Sure there are school shootings and crazy assholes, but that is every country everywhere in the world, a kid talking shit on facebook is nothing to even bat an eyelash about, I didn't even find what he said very offensive. what year was it when the world collectively got so much sand poured into their vaginas?
I'm surprised the prosecution and the judge is bringing this to trial. They seem overzealous to either pad some numbers, or make an example of a average idiotic 19 year old. Sure what he did was wrong, but if there were no signs of this behavior prior to this, it wouldn't make sense. We can't fault the lady for reporting it in, but we sure as heck can fault the system for making this more than it is.
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I know a better story, I remember reading about a some kind of president willing to send (for free) weapons, military equipment along with personnel to train terrorist groups who chew other people hearts for real, but I think he was joking too.
The US leads the world in jailing people and also in keeping its own population in a constant state of anxiety. This story speaks to both of those factors. I suggest watching the documentary 'The House I Live In' to get a better perspective on the state of the penal/judicial system.
On top of that, I would be super surprised if he is not psychologically destroyed after being put away for so long for something so stupid, which in the end would fuck him up in the head more than anything else.
Was there even any psychological instigation into his mental health??
I think anyone who has ever played a Multiplayer game has seen worse comments than his..
Mainly the opinion of certain people who actual, truly believe that it's right to put someone in jail for 8 years for something that most reasonable people would recognize as a obvious joke, just because "ITS THE LAAAAAAW". It's at a point where I believe the human race needs a little reset, when people who can ruin the worlds economic can get a new million dollar paid job, and someone using his free speech to joke is thrown in jail....
It just disgusts me.
Getting thrown in jail, being beat repeatedly with broken bones, thrown in solitary confinement 4 times, and yet you don't think hes been punished?
Look, the kid is in the teeth of the machine now. If he escapes spending multiple years in jail at this point, it'll be a miracle. His bail is set at $500,000. He isn't going anywhere anytime soon. They've seen to that.
and I'd like to know why he seems to be targeted. Every time I play a game I get threatened with my mom being raped by a spoon even with "jks" at the end. It's like some of you bashing on him and saying it's the law don't understand that many laws are flawed and what's worse is you don't see the logic of law.
By the way there's about 10 million more gamers you may want to arrest.
angsty nerd makes a sarcastic remark, and people says he deserves to be imprisoned for 5 months...
yeah, people suck just as much as they always have.
The real terrorists are the people that put him in jail. Carter will come out a very damaged person, even if he gets acquitted.
To top it all off there seems to be this mindset from a lot of people about the 'law is the law' you're guilty of the crime so do the time etc.
I can understand why authorities might want to act upon seemingly meaningless threats in wake of the prior shootings. However incarcerating an 18 year old with no previous criminal record or misdemeanors is outrageously & terrifyingly stupid.
At the MOST they should of detained him for 1 day... spoke to his parents/teachers/peers determined what his mindset was... maybe searched the house/ his room for weapons evidence of any intent and then placed him under watch for a while.
However even that would be extreme... it would be a better solution to fking locking somebody up for 3 months.
Congratulations America you've managed to turn your prideful mandate of 'Innocent until proven guilty' right upon its own head. Without a doubt this kid is going be psychologically damaged and will struggle to become the *average Joe* once again.
I currently work as a Corrections Officer at a Medium to High security State Prison. I see kids (18 and up) who come into the system everyday here. You can get a flat 2-year term for having an illegal firearm on your person. Some of the kids here treat a small term like that as a "right of passage", and walk around the place like they have something coming to them. There is also a definite "pack mentality"; especially among the young offenders. They prey on the weak....period. There's the two "F's", and forgive the vulgarity, which is: Fuck or Fight. You either do one or the other; either way, there's violence. Though we try our best to have a corrective environment (ie., schooling, crafts, counseling, sports, religious services, etc.); this is a place where people come to do their time, and sometimes become a better criminal before they get out (if they get out).
Prison isn't a place to send some kid who's made some pretty asinine and reprehensible comments on the internet; especially in light of several events where just such a thing has happened. At the very least; the kid needs a good slap upside the head (not figuratively).
I also think people here are jumping the gun. There hasn't been a sentencing yet. Lots of menial crimes have potentially lengthy sentences; that doesn't mean that the judge is mandated to give them the max no matter what. I can see this kid getting a lighter sentence, with time already served taken into account. Perhaps a few additional months in jail and/or a fine, and community service.
The problem with the internet today, is the supposed "anonymity" that people garner from behind a keyboard. "Internet Warrior" is a term that comes to mind. People say things online, that they would NEVER say in real life to someone's face. In my book, that makes you a coward; but that is my opinion. Some people need to realize that actions (or words) have consequences, no matter what the venue is that you use to spew your hateful thoughts/words. If you say something online that pisses someone off; you'd better be ready for the very real possibility of them showing up at your door someday.
Having said all that, and having worked in a prison now for going on 6 years now; this isn't a case that warrants such an extreme amount of time. Keep in mind; that we don't know everything that has gone down with this kid, or intentions; people here are just jumping all over it, like it's a done deal. There could be more to it; or it could be exactly as it's laid out.
But in 8 years; if it turns out this way, this kid won't be coming out of the other side a model citizen by any means. Prison is ALL about survival; any way you can. You can think you won't do a certain thing, or be a certain way, or join any group(s); but you'll never know the reality, until that door closes behind you...and you're all you've got.
In my final opinion (I ramble, I know); this kid should get time already served, and community service. Free speech doesn't give you the right to hurt other people (thinking of the Florida Baptist group that protests dead soldier's funerals), but it is a right that needs protecting.
As for myself, I think this is pretty batshit insane. No, I don't think the kid should have said something that dumb. However I think when online and especially in the middle of a game we have all said some dumb shit from time to time, and we all have things we regret saying, that we didn't really mean, etc. I have seen FAR worse threats online that I would deem far more real than this, which was clearly in jest.
If anything I would assume they would first check his history of violence and misconduct, then have him mentally evaluated to see if anything is wrong at home, upstairs, etc. before throwing him straight into a place where he can be both mentally and physically injured by others. This whole thing just seems crazy - 8 years? did he actually hurt someone? I've seen cases of rape and murder that get far less than 8 years, let alone an internet threat, even if it was real. America.. what the fuck.
and for the "it's the law" people: sure, I think like that too, except we need to be thinking for ourselves as well and asking: is this the type of country I want to live in? Does it make sense for this to be the law? And by being okay with these incidents now and again you have to realize it will only get worse and one day you could find yourself in a situation that you know is complete horseshit but now you're doing 10 years hard time for using butter as lubrication on your dilly while browsing that naughty webcam site past 8pm.
Then again maybe its a bad idea to pipe up about this, people will just go "Oh right, so you want another Columbine incident then?" No, that's definitely not what I want. Lets just put things into perspective and understand that the punishment does not fit the 'crime' in any way whatsoever.
I completely agree. Anyone that references previous events in defense of the kids sentence I feel has a worse psyche than the kids suicide watch. Because fear projecting severe actions on others has mass scale repercussions doing more harm than good. The FBI should have had went as far as an investigation for intent and capability. Not BS like jail sentences and mental counseling for an obvious joke. It's actually scary how these events like columbine 911 sandy etc. are topics in which your words are emphasized 1000% when in reality had he said a dead baby joke or a rape your mother joke he'd be fine.
It's actually sad that from what I heard he was responding to a comment along the lines "your crazy" and he followed up with a sarcastic exaggerated joke which caused this shit-storm of fear.
I won't even comment on people saying "let him rot in jail" because really there's no words for me to describe them in the English language.
BUT....what i find extremely sad is that there are actually people in this thread (As far as i see), that are perfectly fine with this situation, based on the data we know.
There are actually people here are are ok with kid being arrested just for saying something over facebook or such. Yeah, it's stupid to do so, but people aren't robots you now, they have feelings. That's why we all have situations where we "vent out", either by bitching, writing something on face, twitter, whatever.
I mean, this is so messed up (unless there is something MUCH more sinister to the his kid that we don't know yet), that i don't even know where to begin.
It almost looks like some people were pissed of for being helpless with all the shooting and that was going on past year or two, and decided they would "vent out" on this kid. I simply can't find any other reason to do so...
And what's worse, if he even survives, who knows in what kind of mental condition he will be, once he's out? He lost 8 years of his life in prison, and who knows what kind of crap he had to go through, he will have hard time getting job, or maybe even normal life with wife and kids....for what, SAYING something over INTERNET?!
I mean, i could totally see this guy just snapping at some point and actually do the real killing. Which would be tragic of course, but what would be even more tragic in that case, is that it would be all fault of those guys who put him in prison, but at that point, NOONE would care about that, they would just see a evil lunatic who killed just because, no reason really.....
Eh really, sorry for being more....aggressive here, but people who actually approve this (based on just data we have now)....i serioulsly can't understand them. Guy MIGHT do something so lets just lock him in prison for good just in case? Geez...
This is starting to look like that TV series where people were put in prison for crimes they would commit in future....
I had a friend in high school who jokingly said he would blow up the school while amongst a group of his friends. Some person ended up reporting him. The school took it seriously, but he ended up with community service after further investigation and consideration. A few things helped his situation: his young age and status as a minor, word of mouth instead of visual text displayed on a website, and probably the non-graphic nature of what he said.
As KeithC said, and I have already said, there hasn't been a sentence yet and it's unlikely he'll get anything drastic besides a fine, community service, and maybe minimal jail time. But we'll have to wait and see. A big thing that'll hurt this kid in the long run is all the press this has been getting.
PolyHertz, I was referring to a sentence carried out by a judge, not the jail system's inability to stop in-house violence.
Again, it was stupid thing to do, but it's just wrong to arrest it for something like that....at least imo anyway...
Just to put your position in perspective, it was illegal to aid the escape of runaway black slaves and obviously people thought that it should be illegal. Just because "it's the law" doesn't make it right and that doesn't mean it should be blindly followed. If a law is wrong, it most certainly should be challenged when excessive actions are taken against people under that law. And this law is excessive. The most action they should have taken against the kid is monitor him covertly and observe any behavior that might indicate criminal intent. The law is not infallible and it is not always just. It is the duty of all free men and women to challenge the law when it does not support our natural rights.
To be honest he should know better than to post risky jokes on Facebook.
Context has no meaning these days it seems. Bad jokes and good jokes come from the same birth (not my words)
Sorry; but I have to take issue with that. Comparing the underground railroad, and freeing of enslaved humans....isn't anywhere near the same as making a very sinister joke about killing children in a school and eating their hearts. So I can't really see anyone using that to put it all into perspective. But, I understand your intent.
There are guys inside that are doing more time for having too many drugs on them (which would qualify them as a distributor, and thus a higher sentence), than someone who has committed murder and gotten a reduced sentence (2nd degree, manslaughter, etc.) . That inequality should be addressed. We have numerous Americans jailed on simple drug charges, where probation, community service and counseling would be more sufficient. I'm not arguing at all that our system is flawed and needs work. But let's not demonize the American system without realizing how messed up other Countries (even first world) are as well. The American-bashing gets old.
This is a good debate.
The kid was an idiot and thought it'd be funny to publicly joke about the mass murder of children, in a very graphic fashion, on a social media website for all to see and mis/interpret. After being called crazy. It obviously doesn't help that, according to reports, he lives right near an elementary school, and that this happened mere months after Sandy Hook. It's his own dumb fault and he's just been extremely unlucky.
It is very much applicable. It was a law that was very wrong and criminalized people for helping others that were subjugated by another very wrong law. Forget the emotional content and think of the basic ethics of the issue. Criminalizing certain speech is no more right than criminalizing people who give aid to slaves. When free speech is abridged, we are all enslaved.
I think some script from Star Trek TNG episode "Drumhead" is very apt to this situation and the expansion of the war on terror in general:
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: You know, there are some words I've known since I was a schoolboy: "With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably." Those words were uttered by Judge Aaron Satie, as wisdom and warning. The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: The Seventh Guarantee is one of the most important rights granted by the Federation. We cannot take a fundamental principle of the Constitution and turn it against a citizen.
Lieutenant Worf: Sir, the Federation *does* have enemies. We *must* seek them out!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Oh, yes. That's how it starts. But the road from legitimate suspicion to rampant paranoia is very much shorter than we think. Something is wrong here, Mister Worf. I don't like what we have become.
It's scary how much that fits the current climate in our nation.
I wholeheartedly disagree. The law is wrong. We've become so paranoid that the mere mentioning of violence is grounds for taking action against a person because we're so gripped with abject and unjustified fear. What's more, it's not the government's job to provide security, that's what the 2nd amendment is for. We are supposed to provide our own security while the government makes sure that our constitutional rights are not infringed. They can't both provide security and uphold the constitution. That's a conflict of interest. The whole system has lost its mind chasing after unspecific threats and dangers to the public. When the government views its own citizens as a threat to itself, then we have made the despicable first step into tyranny.
I think the people of the day would take issue with you, but have it as you want; I disagree, and I'll leave it at that.
The people who agree with this kids arrest and imprisonment as morally right and fair, then you honestly have serious reality problems and I would suggest doing some home work on your moral compasses.
This is a slippery slope (one of many) that the US is heading toward, a culture of angst, paranoia and extremist views while the constitution sits in the shadows and rots.
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http://www.change.org/petitions/release-my-son-justin-carter-in-jail-for-a-facebook-comment
You can help the dude out if you want or you can complain about 'Merica and the police state. Honestly, if they can't raise the 10% of the 500k bail needed to free him it is just how sad the internet is. Full of bitchers and devoid of doers.
I said let him rot in jail. You didn't know I was joking in that post? Talk about taking my words out of context. Can you Plebs not get sarcasm from mere words? jk lol.
Best case scenario, we raise half a million dollars to get him out for a month before he gets sentenced.
A better question to ask is why his bail is such an insane amount of money.
You wrote a long drawn out message followed by "I mean seriously, do you people really want to see another Sandy Hook Elementary or have you forgotten about it?" Your post didn't sound like it had any comic value or sarcasm to it at all, more angry than funny.
Kudos to you though for taking the mature route and branding most people in the thread as 'Plebs'. (Just in case you didn't get it - /sarcasm)
The tool used to lock him up is now being used to bail him ?
I can't help but see the irony of this.
Shame on you VelvetElvis and fvck your sarcasm mate, it is just as warped as your legal system :poly142:
They just may, but that doesn't make them right, nor you. Take away free speech and we're just as enslaved as blacks were back then. The 4th amendment is dead, so is the 3rd and 8th. Next up soon will be the 1st.
Would you point me to that particular statistic? I know we aren't in operation to make a profit; not even close.
Alright, I had to go back and re-read your comments. I see what you might be thinking. Forget the railroad and the boy's comment, I'm talking about the laws behind the two issues. I'm saying it was wrong to criminalize aiding slaves and it is currently wrong to criminalize speech as an act of terrorism, not that Carter's vulgar comment is as righteous as the underground railroad. That's not important. What matters is that speech is being criminalized for the sake of security and that just goes against everything that America was founded on.
Have I clarified my argument sufficiently? It's the ethics of the law I'm concerned about, not the righteousness of the people breaking the law.
As Franklin said, "Those who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserves neither liberty nor safety."
But we've gone over the deep end and traded many of our liberties because we're desperate for some security theater to assuage our fears. Ever since 9/11, we've become a nation of quivering cowards that faint at the mere mentioning of the word "terrorist". We let the government raise the banner of war against terrorism and use it to push our civil rights aside in the pursuit of vague and unspecific enemies that never dwindle in supply so that we're at a perpetual state of war. We see monsters in every shadow and send the police after every person that scares ignorant white middle class sheep. That's the problem with this law. When you broaden the definition of terrorist is, eventually everyone is a terrorist.
i think people are very butthurt about stupid jokes about terrorism, all around the world, even thou its ridiculous.
Not sure where the 50 percent statistic came from, but there are literally dozens of resources highlighting how "demand" for corporate prisons is creating a need to arrest and incarcerate individuals who, in many instances, should never see the inside of a jail cell, all in the name of making more money.
Add this to the fact that the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, is the only country to still imprison children for life with no chance of parole, and sees illegal immigration as a major source of corporate profit, and suddenly it's much harder for advocates of the U.S. "justice" system to take the moral high ground. I'm not insinuating that's what you're doing, but many people seem to think that this is acceptable, which for a supposedly civilized country that sees itself as a "world leader," is clearly not.
We can all agree that the private prison inmate population isn't anywhere near 50 percent - but these statistics show just how much this industry has grown since the early 1990's.
However, something else to consider is that just because the number of inmates incarcerated in for-profit prisons hasn't grown to 50 percent on the national level, some states are more enthusiastic about this business model than others - including Louisiana:
Again, look at how the profits of corporate prisons have grown, and how companies like GEO Group are confident "regarding the outlook for the industry" and what it means for their bottom lines, and the fact that national for-profit prison populations haven't reached 50 percent doesn't seem like such a good thing.
This disturbing trend is most definitely not something Americans should be proud of.
I am very much against private prisons but there are far better arguments to be made against them that don't involve misrepresenting information.
QFT