Right-wing extremist 'told to read classic books' by judge
Right-wing extremist 'told to read classic books' by judge
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bitchstewie

Original Poster:

64,212 posts

233 months

Thursday 2nd September 2021
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mac96

5,703 posts

166 months

Thursday 2nd September 2021
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The offence is bizarre as well: "Found guilty of possessing a record of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism on 12 August"

So you don't need any intent to commit a terrorist act, just be in possession of information which might come in handy if you did so intend? Seems a bit of a catchall.

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

64,212 posts

233 months

Thursday 2nd September 2021
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I don't know if they take the almost 70,000 anti-semitic and white supremacist documents they found into account when determining intent or if it's "just" the bomb-making manual he had that did for him.

Not a nice chap going from the articles.


Esceptico

8,897 posts

132 months

Thursday 2nd September 2021
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Unbelievable. So reading books written by white people about white people at the height of European colonialism, when white people literally ruled to world (and when white supremacy was thought to be a self evident truth) is going to cure him of white supremacy? How stupid and out of touch can that judge be?

If you were trying to use literature or books then surely he should be ordered to read books like Mandela’s autobiography or du Bois or Alice Walker. Although I doubt such an approach would work.

I thought that there were organisations that helped de-radicalise white supremacists.

Perhaps he could have been made to do community service eg working at a refugee centre.

Liokault

2,837 posts

237 months

Thursday 2nd September 2021
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Esceptico said:
Unbelievable. So reading books written by white people about white people at the height of European colonialism, when white people literally ruled to world (and when white supremacy was thought to be a self evident truth) is going to cure him of white supremacy? How stupid and out of touch can that judge be?

If you were trying to use literature or books then surely he should be ordered to read books like Mandela’s autobiography or du Bois or Alice Walker. Although I doubt such an approach would work.

I thought that there were organisations that helped de-radicalise white supremacists.

Perhaps he could have been made to do community service eg working at a refugee centre.
You don’t want him to try to achieve societal change and try to become a race hero by using explosives…but you want him to read Mandela…who achieved societal change and became a hero by using explosives.

Esceptico

8,897 posts

132 months

Thursday 2nd September 2021
quotequote all
Liokault said:
You don’t want him to try to achieve societal change and try to become a race hero by using explosives…but you want him to read Mandela…who achieved societal change and became a hero by using explosives.
Mmm…okay perhaps I didn’t think that one through! But I think you know what I mean - try getting him to read something to understand what it is like for non whites who have experienced racial discrimination.


mac96

5,703 posts

166 months

Thursday 2nd September 2021
quotequote all
bhstewie said:
I don't know if they take the almost 70,000 anti-semitic and white supremacist documents they found into account when determining intent or if it's "just" the bomb-making manual he had that did for him.

Not a nice chap going from the articles.
I am sure you are correct. I was only speculating about the oddity of that particular offence. And I would like to think that you can't be convicted of a terrorist offence without proof of intent to actually do something, or to encourage others to do something. I suppose really I was surprised that he was not charged with anything more concrete.

dandarez

13,889 posts

306 months

Thursday 2nd September 2021
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Ah, it doesn't say by reading all that it will cure him. I think the judge is being clever, he's told him to "Start with Pride And Prejudice and Dickens's A Tale Of Two Cities. Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Think about Hardy. Think about Trollope.

"On January 4 you will tell me what you have read and I will test you on it."

If the defendant answers all the judge's test questioning easily, I reckon judge will turn round and say 'ah bright young dangerous man, I was unsure whether all that material you'd amassed was able to be read by someone like you. Obviously you can. Take him down, 10 yrs.'
biggrin

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

64,212 posts

233 months

Friday 3rd September 2021
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ChocolateFrog

34,954 posts

196 months

Friday 3rd September 2021
quotequote all
mac96 said:
bhstewie said:
I don't know if they take the almost 70,000 anti-semitic and white supremacist documents they found into account when determining intent or if it's "just" the bomb-making manual he had that did for him.

Not a nice chap going from the articles.
I am sure you are correct. I was only speculating about the oddity of that particular offence. And I would like to think that you can't be convicted of a terrorist offence without proof of intent to actually do something, or to encourage others to do something. I suppose really I was surprised that he was not charged with anything more concrete.
The terrorism act is quite wide ranging in it's powers.

And it seems most judges are absolutely batst crazy.

dai1983

3,157 posts

172 months

Friday 3rd September 2021
quotequote all
ChocolateFrog said:
mac96 said:
bhstewie said:
I don't know if they take the almost 70,000 anti-semitic and white supremacist documents they found into account when determining intent or if it's "just" the bomb-making manual he had that did for him.

Not a nice chap going from the articles.
I am sure you are correct. I was only speculating about the oddity of that particular offence. And I would like to think that you can't be convicted of a terrorist offence without proof of intent to actually do something, or to encourage others to do something. I suppose really I was surprised that he was not charged with anything more concrete.
The terrorism act is quite wide ranging in it's powers.

And it seems most judges are absolutely batst crazy.
Seems possession of the book and a history of posting essays of a certain topic on dodgy websites gets you a sentence. There was a case where someone bought the book but they couldn't find evidence of any other wrong doing so was let go.

Jakg

3,952 posts

191 months

Friday 3rd September 2021
quotequote all
mac96 said:
I am sure you are correct. I was only speculating about the oddity of that particular offence. And I would like to think that you can't be convicted of a terrorist offence without proof of intent to actually do something, or to encourage others to do something. I suppose really I was surprised that he was not charged with anything more concrete.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_banned_by_governments#United_Kingdom

TCX

1,976 posts

78 months

Friday 3rd September 2021
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Top of the list.....Mein Kampf?

rodericb

8,518 posts

149 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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bhstewie said:
Yeah it does seem quite an overreaction to casual racism! It's hard to imagine that a person with such views would also have an asian person as a friend.

Electro1980

8,921 posts

162 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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TCX said:
Top of the list.....Mein Kampf?
Why?

Vanden Saab

17,336 posts

97 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
quotequote all
bhstewie said:
I thought you were against locking them up and throwing away the key... Oh right-wing terrorist... as you were.

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

64,212 posts

233 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
quotequote all
Vanden Saab said:
I thought you were against locking them up and throwing away the key... Oh right-wing terrorist... as you were.
I don't think I've said that have I?

There are cases where it's absolutely the right and only answer.

The terrorist who got shot at Streatham couldn't have done what he did if he'd been in jail.

How would people feel if this chap goes out tomorrow and kills someone when he was meant to be at the library reading some books?

Then again look at the Fishmongers hall incident and you have both the perpetrator and the people who stopped him only there because we don't lock everyone up and throw away the key.

Do you think it's right to tell him to go and read some books?

Liokault

2,837 posts

237 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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Vanden Saab said:
bhstewie said:
I thought you were against locking them up and throwing away the key... Oh right-wing terrorist... as you were.
Or more precisely, right wing NOT terrorist.

This guy isn’t a terrorist, he’s a guys in possession of books the could be regulated under section 58 of the terrorism act. So many books he couldn’t possibly have actually read 10% of them.

TCX

1,976 posts

78 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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Electro1980 said:
TCX said:
Top of the list.....Mein Kampf?
Why?
Why not?

andy_s

19,806 posts

282 months

Saturday 4th September 2021
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TCX said:
Top of the list.....Mein Kampf?
Das Kapital?