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Culture War Roundup for the week of June 26, 2023

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It isn't about a bridge too far. People who defy court orders end up in prison for contempt. Had Bill Ayers defied a court order, he would have been jailed for contempt. Just as members of the Chicago Seven were, and members of the Black Panthers were, and plenty of other Ayers-adjacent people. Getting upset because Kim Davis was put in prison for contempt for refusing to comply with a court order is asking that she receive preferential treatment.

People who defy court orders end up in prison for contempt.

Sometimes. It often depends who’s doing the defying.

Had Bill Ayers defied a court order, he would have been jailed for contempt.

My word! Well it’s a good thing he only committed a bombing campaign and didn’t defy a court order! Seems like bombing, looting, and burning the possessions of normies isn’t too big of a deal but god help you if you cross a lawyer…

Getting upset because Kim Davis was put in prison for contempt for refusing to comply with a court order is asking that she receive preferential treatment.

I won’t deny this. My rules applied unfairly > your rules applied unfairly and all that. In my view one side has gotten preferential treatment for quite a while now and excuse me if I find it a bit hard to believe you wouldn’t be a little upset if the shoe were on the other foot. I believe that we both want someone’s rules applied fairly but it’s been a while since that’s been the case in my eyes.

My word! Well it’s a good thing he only committed a bombing campaign and didn’t defy a court order! Seems like bombing, looting, and burning the possessions of normies isn’t too big of a deal but god help you if you cross a lawyer…

  1. She crossed a judge, not a lawyer, a very important distinction since we are talking about a govt employee refusing to obey the law.

  2. I confess I don’t see the relevance. As I noted, plenty of his compatriots who "crossed a judge" were jailed for contempt. And, as I understand it, the only reason that Ayers was not prosecuted is that the govt tainted the evidence by obtaining it via grossly illegal methods, ie, COINTEL. Note that other Weather Underground members went to jail, as did many Black Panthers and other leftists. And the charges were dropped in 1974, when your "team" was in office, You are pointing to Ayers as if he were the rule, not the exception.

In my view one side has gotten preferential treatment for quite a while now and excuse me if I find it a bit hard to believe you wouldn’t be a little upset if the shoe were on the other foot.

  1. Doesn't it give you pause that people on the other team are equally convinced that it is their enemies who have been given preferential treatment? Every claim I have seen on either side has been blatant cherry picking, or complete misunderstanding of what is going on, or both. If their evidence were as weak as your reliance on Ayers, would you be a convinced?

  2. The question is not whether I would be upset were the shoe on the other foot. The question is what I would do about. It would not be to excuse wrongful behavior by "my team" in order to even the scales somehow.

I believe that we both want someone’s rules applied fairly

No, I don’t think we do. At least I don’t think you want that very badly, compared to me. Principles matter, and anyone who believes in principles should be bending over backwards to ensure that those with whom we disagree are treated fairly. The alternative that you espouse is a one-way ticket to banana republic land.

one-way ticket to banana republic land.

We’re already there, man. You’re just on the side of the republic.

Yes, that must be it. Because 50 years ago, the govt fucked up its investigation of Bill Ayers, and a couple of years ago Kim Davis was treated exactly how everyone who defies a court order is treated. How could I have been so blind?