Smug Activist update

Wow, my Smug Activist post generated more interest than my blog itself!

If you want to know more about the Smug Activist, here's a Quatloos thread on him. It features everything you could possibly want to know, even though the video is almost self explanatory.

• Name: Robert Peterson
• Age: 21
• Place: A courthouse in Kootenai, Idaho
• Reason: To contest a ticket - riding with no lights on a bicycle at night.
• End result: 3 charges of battery, 1 contempt of court

Had Robert put away his camera as required, he wouldn't be in jail.

Had Robert respected the Bailiffs (P. Barnes, et al.), he wouldn't be in jail.
Had Robert studied the rules of the courtroom, maybe even hiring a court reporter, he wouldn't be in jail.
Had Robert used a hidden camera instead, he probably wouldn't be in jail. (don't do this!)

And, of course, had Robert paid his "damnit, they got me dead-to-rights" ticket, he wouldn't be in jail either, and there wouldn't be an embarrassing viral video on the internet. However, now that I think of it, Robert was probably bound to serve jail time over contempt charges if he tried to use his crazy theories, it's almost a moot point. With all of this said, I can't wait until Tosh.0 interviews him.

The speculation so far is that his mother is also a sovereign citizen, and he learned it from his mother/father from an early age. I don't buy it (yet).

I still feel strongly about the tasering. However, the reality is that everyone who had the ball dropped it, and I really can't fault bailiff P. Barnes. Here's how I think things should have happened at every step:

1. Security should have recognized the trouble before granting admission, present a clear ultimatum, either lose the camera entirely (by giving it up to security, or putting it back in the car) and come in, or stay out. No in-betweens. 
2. Get tossed out at first instance of video camera use.
3. Get tossed out at escalation of encounter. 
4. Get tossed out at any point after he left the court room.
5. Get tossed out after altercation with Bailiffs.

(steps 2-5 must lead to seizure of camera, or him being forced to put camera back in his car or wherever. No arrest to be made - Robert isn't dangerously belligerent. Just plain old belligerent. Had there been another push to get through, then arrest Robert with assault.) 

To me, all possible remedies must be explored before taser work, and that means physical work like restraining and removal. Tasers are a "less lethal" remedy, and have the potential to kill or seriously harm the assailant. Just think: if he's sovereign, he probably doesn't have insurance either. Why risk dumping this man on the nearest overstuffed hospital? Why risk opening the town up to the craziest goddamn lawsuit ever conceived?

This is where I really diverge with the Quatloos people. I refuse to have an ultra conservative viewpoint regarding law and order (or anything else, really). There's so much we don't know about Robert Peterson. Just how much of a role does his family play into this incident? Is he schizophrenic or bipolar? A whole lot of Youtube and Ron Paul? The point being, he isn't Old Yeller waiting to be put down. He can be rehabilitated into a productive member of society. We shouldn't be so blood thirsty.

This isn't the only time I have felt this way about Quatloos. It took me full year to get worn down by it.

Hell, I wish I started with a more caring approach with my blog. I believe the internet calls this troller's remorse.

Unless something big happens regarding LB Bork or PACinLaw, I will not go there.

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There's a new infection of PACinLaw posts on Craigslist. I still collect them, and there will be a post about it soon. 

"Smug Activist Cameraman tazed in the court house"

I caught this video while perusing the Something Awful forums, and I felt that it would be a disservice if I didn't post the video here. This is the short version, (and the best if you're in a hurry):

Here's the long version:

Here's a helpful Youtube comment (however, be sure to take it with a grain of salt).

seljakizgruda 4 hours ago 3 1st name Robert, last Peterson from North Idaho. Peterson believes he is exempt from laws, and rules unless he's hurt or wronged someone else.Peterson is in jail under $50,000 dollars bond.
He faces three counts of battery against a peace officer and one count of criminal contempt.
AWESOME

For the record: I do not support police brutality, or excessive force such as this act of tasering. I don't think that cop was right to do what he did, and I don't think that Robert was anywhere near the threshold that triggers the use of a taser. 

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With all of this put aside, I have to admit that these two videos are very funny, and to listen to "sovereign speak" from someone who sincerely believes in what he's saying, is just simply unbelievable. I wonder if Robert watches his own videos and realizes just how stupid he is. 

Note the similarities between Robert's convictions to Redemption style sovereign citizen: He's a "man", not a person, the person is a legal entity that he shedded somehow, and he as a "man" is not within current jurisdiction. Also make note of the similarities with PACinlaw style sovereign citizen: He's a state citizen, not a federal citizen (which he also somehow shedded), has state ID, but believes the state is under military control ("admiralty maritime jurisdiction"), as evidenced by gold tassels on an American flag in the courtroom (LB Bork actually believes a variation of this, except as "false government control" instead of "military control"). 

It's like two incest love children having their own incestuous lovechild and decided not to abort. That said, I can't wait until the sovereign citizen movement aborts itself.

In the long version, Robert appears to be too young for the sovereign citizen scene. Perhaps he was a former Paulite that clicked on some sovereign stuff one day and said "Man, this is an eyeopener! I can't wait to not file my 1040!" And if I have to give any credit, he is confident and persistent. Great journalism requires big balls like that. It's too bad he's a moron. I have to commend the police for putting up with this for as long as they did. If I were a cop, I would have two hand grabbed Robert and tossed him out the door. No punches, no tasers. You know, good old fashioned security work. Hell, Patrick Swayze wouldn't use no taser and he's too pretty to be a bouncer.

Despite the wrongful tasering, I admire the cop who administered it. He really reminded me of wserra and others on the Quatloos forums. They didn't foolishly research and deconstruct LB Bork's material like I did. They saw the immediate flaws and shut that bullshit down for what it was, leaving Bork with his tail between his legs, full of butthurt. 

Robert: Well, I don't have to go in...
Pete:     OK
Robert: because you can't even issue a warrant for me
Pete:     Then you might as well leave.
Robert: Well, no, I'm a gonna go in there and speak with a prosecutor
Pete:     You can go in without the camera.
Robert: *looks around* please step aside, I'm going in.

What a dumbass. How hard is it to get a spy camera anyway? Why make a scene? Did he honestly think other people were judging him so much that he had to go for broke to prove a point? The more I think about it, the more I believe he's an impulsive 18 year old.  

Well, as a parting quote, I'll leave you with this:

"It's not like I haven't been tased before..."