The Aaron Swartz Speech

Aaron Swartz Speech


On November 8th 1986 Aaron Swartz was introduced to the world as we all were. He was indeed, a beautiful gift to his parents and a new brother to humankind. We were blessed with a brother that was unique in most aspects of his being and even his largest critics couldn’t doubt that this young man was a prodigy in his own rite.

Aaron Swartz was many things. An internet activist, a software developer, a writer and to us, he was so much more than just that. He was personified ambition and we all could all learn from his example.

        At age 14 Aaron co-authored RSS 1.0, he was a student of Stanford University, He was the Founder of Infogami which later merged with reddit to become one of the most popular online platforms of all time. Aaron Swartz was the Co-Founder of Demand Progress which encouraged people to put pressure on congress and other leaders to make necessary revisions in government to ensure our civil liberties

        Aaron believed in the freedom of information. That once an idea is created it cannot be uncreated it is here for all of us to use and to enjoy. The only ones who ever seem to complain are the ones who can’t keep it for themselves.

This is not to say that Aarons own ideas were always fair and just and in this case many would agree that he may have crossed the line. But when Greed, pride and selfishness rear their ugly head and do you think they seek reasonable amends?

They seek malicious vengeance; vengeance, that is dished out on a daily basis under the false guise of Justice, when justice itself means fair and reasonable.

        In this day and age the idea of sharing is seen as theft. In this day and age the idea of assisting one another is cheating. In this day and age, the idea that one man can benefit from the idea of another is a crime.

The sharing of information is how we grow as a society. Without the sharing of resources some thrive while others die. The prices men pay to appease the ego of others, is far beyond anything that resembles justice. Justice itself by definition means… the quality of being fair or reasonable.

To make amends for wrongdoing is fair, to make amends for wrongdoing is just. 35 years of prison time, in this short life of ours, should only be warranted in the worst cases of human victimization.

Aaron victimized no one, Aaron hurt no one, what he did at worst was the equivalent of stealing a book from a library. If Aaron stole that book and broke the door on his way out then he owes you a book… and a door… not half of the expected life span of a grown man… he owes you a book and a door… Carmen Ortiz said it best… “Stealing is Stealing” just as cars are cars and people are people.

“Stealing is Stealing” If you copy my homework in class are you a thief who deserves to be in prison? The action is undesirable but not criminal. The idea that private and incriminating information can be tracked found and released by the average citizen seems to have the ones with something to hide very scared…

So scared that they will publicly show the world how they can take half of your life away if you even threaten their security. Where is the justice in that? How is that Fair? How is that reasonable?

        Oh! That’s right…. These are just threats… these were just scare tactics to get him to agree to something he has the right not to agree with. Does a man even have the right to stand his ground? In a court of law men are guilty until proven innocent and forced to lie about their actual crimes to avoid there entire lives being taken away.

How is this fair? How is this reasonable?

Bullying and harassing young men and women, to plead to crimes that may or may not have even been committed is criminal in and of itself. In the name of moral decency we must stand up and say “No More”.

Demand that your representatives stand behind their oaths to uphold the constitution. Demand that “Justice” be returned to our court systems. Demand that the bullying and torture of American Citizens be done with once and for all.

#AmeriSec is dedicated to seeing the dreams of Aaron Swartz and those who stood with his ideals come to fruition. Through Unity of our voices, we will be heard all the way to the steps of the White House and beyond.

“We” as a people, must become a family that does not quarrel within itself and does not allow those that choose to do so to silence our resolve. We are the people and we have the right to ensure our own freedom.

We need take back nothing as it was handed to us from the very beginnings of this nation. Stand together for Aaron, that he did not die in vain, that he did not sacrifice his very existence for nothing.

Stand together, so the dreams of those who fought and died for Freedom can be realized. Stand together so that those who victimize the people of the United States will be seen as they are…

“True Criminals”. “WE THE PEOPLE” are the United States of America and we say what the moral standard is. Not the ones who have been corrupted by greed and special interest. “WE THE PEOPLE” are the United States of America and “WE THE PEOPLE” played no part in the bullying and harassment that led to the death of our brother.

May God Bless Aarons Family and may Aaron Swartz Rest in Peace

I wrote this to the online community the night of Aarons Death

I am putting this out there so others will know that they are not alone. I would be nothing other than selfish to keep this from you, as if you were a brother of mine and held it from me I would break.
Aaron Swartz' passing was an especially powerful one for me as well. On that very night I was facing the same question of whether or not to make the same decision he had made. I had a full bottle of Ativan and was at a point of depression I pray the rest of you never know.
I was wondering if what I stand for is worth fighting for, I was unsure if I would ever feel comfortable enough in my skin to live the happy life I had hoped for myself. I thought about how easy it would be for me to just cease... I had the perfect ending and would have gone quietly in the night...
I would never have had to have faced the ones that I would have hurt... I would never ever have to face any more of life's "what if's. The problem is that I would have killed the wrong person... as I believe Aaron did.
I cannot compare accomplishments nor would I ever claim to know exactly what the personal issues were that drove him to do what he did. I do know that I was repeatedly victimized by the justice system, and up until earlier this month have never spent one day of my adult life off of "supervision".
I know what it's like to have an overwhelming amount of "time" held over your head for a crime that was neither malicious nor held any victims. Everything that I was taught about love, community and faith was gone the day I stepped in front of a judge.
At that moment I knew that justice was something that could only come from one man guiding another man to freedom. I knew that "American Justice" is reserved for the wealthy and politically favored.
I am not a thief, nor violent nor even an ill wisher of other men and women. In my life I have been guilty of being a depressive who used substances to fill the hole in his heart.  I am a weak man other than the passions I have in my heart for others. I am no saint nor am I a demon.
I am simply a man that wishes that others will never know the pain that I have gone through, or to make the decision Aaron felt he had to make. I write this because I will sacrifice my identity, my belongings and everything up until the point of my very life just to let any man or woman that is suffering, to know that they are not alone.
I am an alcoholic, I am an addict, I suffer from depression, I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and in the eyes of the liars and deceivers I am a weak man. From fear comes courage, from pain comes tolerance, from sickness comes health, and most importantly from bondage comes freedom.
If I live today only to provide one other man or woman the courage to move on and not make that decision I am a success. I send this message in hopes that we can have the courage to get to know each other without reservation and to spread love and support through our collective and to humanity abroad like a violent plague.
I am there with you if you suffer, I am there with you if you have secrets, I am there with you if you are without family, I am there with you if you wish for the end and I beg of you with all of my heart stay with us... We need you..... I need you...

We are Anonymous
We are Legion
We do not forgive
We do not forget
We have NOTHING... if we do not have each other
Expect Us... whenever and wherever you need us

RIP Aaron Swartz ... you will never be forgotten