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Grubble Grubble
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Friday, May 02, 2003 :::
rant
Please visit www.savebrian.org before reading this rant.
As a colleague of Kathy Robertson, I have known Brian for several years. I have had the opportunity to interact with him inside the office and at outside social events. In this time I have found Brian to be courteous, thoughtful, quite intelligent, and overall, a fine young man.
To brand Brian a terrorist is the height of folly. Brian is a writer. Even at such a youthful age, he is quite passionate about the written word. At a time when he should be encouraged, he is being punished for his imagination.
In reading the story, it becomes quickly apparent that Brian knows nothing of the tactics about which he writes. Further, the attack described in the story would require 6-9 people at a minimum to accomplish this "mission." It would then require at least as many people to provide alibis for each participant, not to mention people to help with the "extraction." (I picture helicopters swooping in, which makes this seem an even bigger folly)
First, the prosecution has stated that they have found no evidence that anyone else was involved. This alone should have given the District Attorney pause enough to realize that this writing is a work of fiction only. Secondly, are we truly to believe that 12-18 people, or more, could keep quiet about something like what is described in the story? Especially in a high school? I think not.
I am appalled to know that Brian is facing felony charges for writing this story. I am particularly appalled to find that the law under which he is charged does not require intent of action or malice of forethought to be proven. The very Orwellian nature of the law should have been obvious to its authors.
I lived in Denver, CO when the Columbine incident occurred. Several of my then colleagues had children attending the school. My then girlfriend was a Jefferson County deputy sheriff (the law enforcement agency that responded to the incident). What happened that day was tragic. Its infamy will echo through Denver for years to come.
However, what is just as terrible is the life (lives) that will be thrown away as a result of a knee-jerk reaction to the Columbine tragedy. Brian Robertson is not guilty of any conspiracy. His family suffers daily, both emotionally and financially, for no good reason at all other than, I suspect, the case happened during an election year so a District Attorney could look tough on crime.
Is that justice? I think not.
/rant
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