Librarian Stands up to the Feds

Anonymous Coward writes "A librarian at Brandeis University forced the FBI to obtain a warrant to seize computers used to send threats. From the article: 'Federal Bureau of Investigation agents tried to seize 30 of the library's computers without a warrant, saying someone had used the library's Internet connection to send the threat to Brandeis. But the library director, Kathy Glick-Weil, told the agents they could not take the machines unless they got a warrant first. Newton's mayor, David Cohen, backed Ms. Glick-Weil up. After a brief standoff, FBI officials relented and sought a warrant from a judge.'"

Comments

Good Call

[catdevnull]

I think a further condition should have been that the FBI should replace the computers with temporary ones during their investigation.

Now, the FBI has put out the entire library's lab so no one can use a computer.

It's funny how slowly things evolve--how slowly liberty erodes.
I wonder how long it took before the Nazis realized they were fascists?

*yawn*

[Transfan76]

Can't slashdot keep up with the news? I mean this happened last week.

Re:Time to vote NO, but in what election?

[dada21]

This one, however, kind of irks me; so I'm calling you out on it.

I appreciate your honesty. The sentence wasn't flamebait, but it does open the door for resolving what I meant.

Is it that you don't support our troops, the dirt pounders in the field, or is it that you don't support our government and command structure sending the dirt pounders into the field. The disitinction is real and I am quite interested in your response. The statement sounds like you think the individual GI Joe's are to blame, but your post history would indicate that maybe you did not mean that to be the case.

I have friends in the military. I now have family too (my nephew just went to the Middle East). I condemn them for their actions and their commitment, because I disagree completely with performing any job that I know is immoral. I will never cheat, lie, steal or defraud a customer. I believe the soldiers are the front line not in protecting our rights abroad, but in making the decision to disregard immoral commands. They are the front line in keeping the government from violating the Constitution.

I'm a Christ follower, so there are some caveats here. I believe that God's commandment that we shouldn't murder is extremely important. I don't see any defensive killing being justified unless it is truly defensive -- protecting your land from the enemy entering at that very moment.

No soldier can tell me they're protecting freedom. They're not. My family and friends who have enlisted have come back indoctrinated and fully believing they are saving us from terrorists and communists and criminals and dictators. They're lost when it comes to morals and freedom. I can't support that.

100+ countries that we're in. 100! I believe our Constitution prevents our government from restricting freedom of everyone on this planet -- citizens and aliens in the US and all people abroad. I believe a soldier is an arm of the government, and they must also honor the Constitution.

When was the last time we declared war? We're not to have a standing army, we're to have an army organized from state militias once we declare war. WW2 has been long over, its time to disband the army of tyrants, send them back into the market to work hard and earn a moral and proper living for their families and communities. We don't need to do anything but trade freely and entangle with no one else and their problems.

Freedom first.