"An Incredible Soul": Lawrence Lessig on Aaron Swartz After Leading Cyberactivist's Suicide. 1 of 2

DemocracyNow.org - Today we remember the pioneering computer programmer and cyberactivist Aaron Swartz, who took his own life Friday at the age of 26. As a teenager, Swartz helped develop RSS, revolutionizing how people use the internet, going on to co-own Reddit, now one of the world's most popular sites. He was also a key architect of Creative Commons and an organizer of the grassroots movement to defeat the controversial House internet censorship bill, The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and the Senate bill, The PROTECT IP Act (PIPA).
Watch Part 2 of this interview: • "An Incredible Soul": ...
Swartz hanged himself just weeks before the start of a controversial trial. He was facing up to 35 years in prison sneaking into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and downloading millions of articles provided by the subscription-based academic research service JSTOR. We hear Swartz in his own words and speak to Harvard Law School Professor Lawrence Lessig, a longtime mentor and friend. "There are a thousand things we could have done, and we have to do because Aaron Swartz is now an icon, an ideal," Lessig says. "He's what we will be fighting for, all of us, for the rest of our lives." Lessig also echoes the claims of Swartz's parents that decisions made by prosecutors and MIT contributed to his death, saying: "This was somebody who was pushed to the edge by what I think of as kind of a bullying by our government."
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[@nameofthepen]

I'm one of those "millions who weep in outrage and devistation" for the loss of Aaron. Why do we lose our Galahads, while the pigs live on?

[@jenny1a2a]

The school and/or Gov should have hired him instead of making an example out of him. His blood is not on their hands alone but they definitely helped him to the grave.

[@brendamaviano]

Now knowing what the NSA is doing it makes this a tragic death

[@micoforion]

RIP Aaron Swartz

[@tuulafai4046]

Aaron did NOT take his life - I believe the Govt actually did the deed - he was the smartest, most selfless of we techies

[@spongemonkey5000]

when does the government or anyone have the right to go through your computer.

[@leibue1]

Mexican origin who will sell first her conationatio! Mr Aaron wasn't only a genius in his domain but a fighter for all over the world!!! Congrats my dear American citizens you get in steed a coubt

[@skatarest77]

I agree man. Shits nuts.

[@ZombieLincoln666]

And yet they couldn't get SOPA passed???

[@brewhaha2010]

I dont believe that Aaron Killed himself.

[@bethinhfx]

what are you "not buying"?

[@bitphr3ak]

I bet that's more of a systematic problem than an Obama problem. The last time I checked the last Republican prez wasn't all John Lennon about things either! Fact is, the US has to get it's shit in order, or expect more of the same.

[@roz3nrahman]

50 years not 35

[@BrunoJA]

That's an inane thing to wonder.

[@sebastianomariuzzo1398]

Bassano sei tu?

[@partlysunnydk]

Come on...haven't I watched this in a movie . The old suicide thing. Right....poor kid.

[@brewhaha2010]

Not buying it.

[@sebastianomariuzzo1398]

Bassano sei tu?