I don't think it's fair to compare or relate DPR to Snowden. Building a place for people to buy coke isn't exactly freedom fighting. I realize that this skips past all of the other excuses he had for running the place.
Completely agree. I don't know much of the history, but if the allegations of hiring a hitman a true, there is a big difference between whistle blowing and running a digerati mafia
I disagree. Many people in this world lack the freedom to purchase cocaine. Whether they should have the freedom is up for debate. Whether it's a question of freedom is not.
Should we also have the freedom to hire a contract killer then? If not, where do we draw the line?
I agree that we should have the freedom to access anything we need to, but I guess it comes down to where we draw the line and what the appropriate response by law enforcement is. Much like we are seeing with growing marijuana for therapeutic intent (selling and personal) vs running a grow up for profit.
My main argument was that they are comparing DPR, who turns a profit, to Snowden who essentially lost everything to expose a corrupted system.
In a sense the active simulation we see with bitcoin is an example of a profitable but accurate exercise of a system.
Outside of specific details (legal etc), it is an interesting concept to witness the drug trade without the use of 'the street'. Hopefully this will present some ideas that will shape this currently illegal economy toward something that can be regulated and made 'safe'.
> Should we also have the freedom to hire a contract killer then?
It sounds an awful lot like you're trying to pick an argument that isn't on the table. I haven't endorsed any freedoms in particular, why are you asking me about this?
I wasn't. I was making the point that it's important to realize that it is a question of freedom even if you don't regard it as one that should be had. There are those who don't believe Snowden is fighting for justified freedoms and that his alleged treachery is worse than facilitating drug trafficking.
Seriously, that guy moved a billion dollars worth of drugs. And was criminally stupid, might I add. If we don't do it, there are a thousand other countries who will. Putting up a hidden tor website isn't exactly putting a man on the moon.
It would be silly to expect this latest round in the war on drugs to go down any differently than it's been going for decades. Whatever sucker was on top of the pyramid gets put in jail, and drugs get cheaper, purer, and easier to get. Just like clockwork.
How many startups can claim over $1 billion in transactions handle after only two years in operation?
For people that can figure out how to secure themselves against arrest, that's a lot of money that wants to be spent. I am surprised it was an American that was behind it because we are the home of the War on Drugs and many SR customers are Americans. A foreigner operating in the right country can make all that revenue with a lot less risk. Going after this opportunity is a no brainer for some people.
