this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2023
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Politics

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Charles Littlejohn, a former IRS contractor, leaked the tax returns of the rich to show the public how the uber-wealthy game our tax code. Now he’s facing potential prison time. They’ve nabbed the wrong criminal.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

statutes and protocols set up by the cops

Statutes are made by lawmakers not cops. Lawmakers are elected; votes matter. Ultimately I prefer living in a land of laws rather than mob rule.

In the situation under discussion here, a person (perhaps illegally) releasing private information to better inform the public, I think the action is more like civil disobedience. A very honorable way to draw attention to wrongs in the world, but carries the risk of legal repercussions.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No, in this case we're talking about cops. The US OSC, for example, is literally cops. It's a federal law enforcement organization.

Just because cops are put in power by elected officials doesn't mean they aren't cops.

Following Peelian principles / consent-based policing philosophies does not mean lawlessness. Again, don't fall into the mental trap of thinking like a cop. The choice isn't police state vs mob rule. That's just where your mind goes because you've been taught to think like a cop from a very young age. I was too, and catch myself falling into the pitfalls of cop-thinking all the time.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

a federal law enforcement organization

No. A law enforcement org does not write the laws. They enforce them, whether rightly or wrongly.