Comment by ChrisMarshallNY
4 years ago
Having known many victims of sexual violence and trafficking, I feel for the folks that honestly want that particular kind of crime to stop. Humans can be complete scum. Most folks in this community may think they know how low we can go, but you are likely being optimistic.
That said, law enforcement has a nasty habit of having a rather "binary" worldview. People are either cops, or uncaught criminals. ..and they wonder why they have so much trouble making non-cop friends (DISCLAIMER: I know a number of cops).
With that worldview, it can be quite easy to "blur the line" between child sex traffickers, and parking ticket violators. I remember reading a The Register article, about how anti-terrorism statutes are being abused by local town councils to do things like find zoning violations (for example, pools with no CO).
Misapplied laws can be much worse than letting some criminals go. This could easily become a nightmare, if we cede too much to AI.
And that isn't even talking about totalitarian regimes, run by people of the same ilk as child sex traffickers (only wearing Gucci, and living in palaces).
”Any proposal must be viewed as follows. Do not pay overly much attention to the benefits that might be delivered were the law in question to be properly enforced, rather one needs to consider the harm done by the improper enforcement of this particular piece of legislation, whatever it might be.”
-Lyndon B. Johnson
> People are either cops, or uncaught criminals. ..and they wonder why they have so much trouble making non-cop friends (DISCLAIMER: I know a number of cops).
Ehh let's not make a habit of asserting anecdote as fact, please. Saying you know cops is like saying you know black people and that somehow it affords you some privilege others do not possess.
This is a weak and ad-hom argument.
> is like saying you know black people and that somehow it affords you some privilege others do not possess.
Of course it does. Interacting with black people (or any race) affords you insight into their life experiences, struggles, worldview etc...
Of course sociological discourse is highly subjective but this attitude on HN that anecdotal data has no value whatsoever is silly. Do you seriously expect every fact of every people to be published in some infallible academic journal?
Was alluding to the common argument of "I can say the N word, I know black people" spiel. You've missed my point, I suspect on purpose.
Just knowing someone of a particular demographic doesn't mean you're entitled to generalize about them. That's not how discourse works.
1 reply →
I really appreciate having my words taken out of context, and wrapped in insults.
I probably could have done without the second sentence, but the first stands.
Have a nice day.
Please point to where I insulted you.