MIT has a unique place in the American Landscape. MIT carries out research for the USA military. MIT is engaged actively in National Security. Realizing that, MIT and universities in the USA with this capacity need to take special care of their students regardless of their academic standing.
I do believe MIT was negligent in its authority to guard Aaron Swartz from any zealot agenda of the American government. What prevents any government entity in this age of invasive by authority to the citizen from destroying the very brain trust the USA relies on.
Aaron Swartz is more than simply a suicide of an activist, he is a profound loss to the future and scope of the United States of America.
It is not unusual for students to depart from 'the norms' of society. As a culture we instill the idea our young people should be empowered with a sense of justice. They are instilled with the idea they have authority in their own lives within the scope of their understanding. Simply because Aaron Swartz's SCOPE far exceeded the common understanding of life means we OWE HIM a greater understanding of his protections as a citizen in the USA. It is appropriate and necessary.
MIT rolled over to the government to oppress the enthusiasm of Aaron Swartz. He had something to say. He wanted to say it. What underlies as a threat to cause prosecution was the idea the Plutocracy could not profit from an electronic storage facility of professional journals. Does anyone actually believe the release of PUBLISHED material of professional journals is a crime?
MIT has to stand with their students when those students are facing enormous stress in their lives. Prosecution of their students has to viewed as a threat not only to the student, but, to the reputation of the university and the brain trust of the USA. MIT needed to treat the spying on Aaron Swartz, the legal prosecution of him as if they were a full partner, because, in fact they are. MIT in accepting Aaron Swartz into their university exposed him to their capacity to provide his greatest potential. When Aaron fell under attack by a huge institution MIT needed to be a partner and not a threat to their own student.
MIT and the universities that find their role in the USA as a 'holder' to the brain trust of the country, needs to act to protect their students, work with them, provide legal representation and PARTNER with them when they are attacked by MONEY INTERESTS within or outside of the USA due to their talent and devotion to PURE THOUGHT.
I cannot express my fury over this episode with MIT. Aaron Swartz had no defenses to his abilities and that was the design of the university milieu. He needed support from more than friends. He needed support from his academic advisors and his university. MIT may as well have caused the death of Aaron Swartz because they did nothing to prevent it or to defend a brilliantly talented man this country absolutely needed among their best.
MIT and other universities need to avail strong belief in their potential to foster excellence, protect their students, their reputation and take action to fight for the beliefs and dedications of the goals of the young minds in this country. I find the willingness of MIT to simply step aside and let Aaron Swartz receive government scrutiny appalling and reactive rather than steadfast.
Every student when facing such scrutiny should be aware of the missteps they may or may not have taken to cause alarm in authority seeking to dismantle their passions. They need to be provided without cost to them lawyers able enough to defend them. I mean what happened to the Harvard Law School here?
Aaron needed resources to provide for his well being while realizing the limits of a society to cope with a dedication to freedom. MIT was grossly wrong in exposing him as if an investigative arm of the prosecutors, rather than holding him in esteem to bring him along in his own reality to survive attacks. I find the role of MIT in Aaron deaths more than threatening and down right scary to the damage they were allowing to happen.
God forbid the students should actually occupy the administrative offices!
