Hendrickson says picture a child with its hands over its ear

[Imalawman]

Way to feel empathy for your fellow man there John Bulten. So, how often do you smack little kids around and take their candy?

I'm sure he just devised the plan to be used on fake kids and then, without his permission, and against his advice, someone else would smack the little kids and take their candy.

Also worth noting is how PH admits that he put black powder in the envelope in order to cause an explosion. Sounds dangerous to me. What a turd.

[Cobalt Shiva]

Yes, Demo, I understand there was a nebulous claim of eye injury from the flash device, and I will be happy to stipulate that the court may have found that injury factual. Did you want to evidence "blowing up innocent postal employees" by any meaning of the words "blowing up" and "employees"? "Innocent" might play in, too, considering the nature of the postal workers' claim as described at that link. But I will also be happy to stipulate that the workers' behavior was "postal".

Bulten, the bottom line is quite simple: your boy was willing to risk causing death or serious injury to another human being to make a political point. IMNHO, that makes him a terrorist. The only good terrorist is a dead terrorist. Were he to do such a thing and injure someone I cared about, he'd discover that I'm probably a gazillion times meaner and endowed with a far more perverse imagination and sense of humor than he could ever dream of achieving.

[Doktor Avalanche]

Perhaps with this latest disasterous loss, Pete will finally quit selling his snake oil and go back to blowing up innocent postal employees.

Apparently he couldn't get that right.

Doktor, Joey has been making this charge six or seven times recently. I suggest you read the P.S. at the end of this link before joining in.

And welcome from the minority report.

Mr. Bulten:

I have read the link you provided and whether or not PH planted a bomb and whether or not he objected to it is immaterial. The bottom line is he had something to do with it.

That makes him a turd in my book and it really doesn't matter that it was a "smoke bomb" or that someone may or may not have been injured. There was a device, it was meant to terrorize and by some strange coincidence it just happened to be directed at that evil IRS...the same evil IRS that he's been telling everyone within earshot that nobody has to listen to and obey.

That makes your boy a fanatic. I wonder when he's going to graduate to IED's and suicide bombers.

His assertion that he "objected" is more specious. If he was so dead set against it, why didn't he alert the authorities? That, to me, suggests he wanted it to happen.

You can't go around telling everyone the IRS is evil, that people who work/support the IRS are evil then wash your hands of any responsibility should someone decide to take you at your word.

His reasoning sounds an awful lot like those of Holocaust deniers who are quick to point out that Hitler never signed any orders to build the concentration camps or exterminate Jews (although that's true, it still doesn't get him off the hook).

I would, as a matter of principal, presume to lecture Mr. Hendrickson on the impropriety of yelling "fire" in a crowded movie theater but I get the impression it would fall on deaf ears - or that he'd twist it to say that I was lecturing him on yelling "movie" in a crowded firehouse.

[LPC]

Mr. Bulten:

I have read the link you provided and whether or not PH planted a bomb and whether or not he objected to it is immaterial. The bottom line is he had something to do with it.

That makes him a turd in my book and it really doesn't matter that it was a "smoke bomb" or that someone may or may not have been injured. There was a device, it was meant to terrorize and by some strange coincidence it just happened to be directed at that evil IRS...the same evil IRS that he's been telling everyone within earshot that nobody has to listen to and obey.

That makes your boy a fanatic. I wonder when he's going to graduate to IED's and suicide bombers.

His assertion that he "objected" is more specious. If he was so dead set against it, why didn't he alert the authorities? That, to me, suggests he wanted it to happen.

You can't go around telling everyone the IRS is evil, that people who work/support the IRS are evil then wash your hands of any responsibility should someone decide to take you at your word.

His reasoning sounds an awful lot like those of Holocaust deniers who are quick to point out that Hitler never signed any orders to build the concentration camps or exterminate Jews (although that's true, it still doesn't get him off the hook).

I would, as a matter of principal, presume to lecture Mr. Hendrickson on the impropriety of yelling "fire" in a crowded movie theater but I get the impression it would fall on deaf ears - or that he'd twist it to say that I was lecturing him on yelling "movie" in a crowded firehouse.

This guy makes sense.

Make him stop! It hurts!

[John J. Bulten]

I have read the link you provided and whether or not PH planted a bomb and whether or not he objected to it is immaterial. The bottom line is he had something to do with it.

... It really doesn't matter that it was a "smoke bomb" or that someone may or may not have been injured. There was a device, it was meant to terrorize and by some strange coincidence it just happened to be directed at that evil IRS...the same evil IRS that he's been telling everyone within earshot that nobody has to listen to and obey.

That makes your boy a fanatic.

Thanks for your (relative) consideration and commonsense which is so uncharacteristic here. Two out of three moderators will need your example, Bosun.

Yes, most people have bad behavior in their past. Seems to me that if some young folks were setting up a large tax protest trying to think of ways to make a statement, and if they decided on creating a smoke flash for emphasis and effect, and if they did not believe that they were exposing their otherwise peaceful protest to criminal "mail bomb" charges, then what you're talking about is just a mistake, not terrorism. But of course, given the Patriot Act, the meaning of terrorism has been greatly expanded of late.

If after being exposed to the wrath of manifold criminal charges, one says, okay, I agree, technically I committed conspiracy to possess a destructive device, and I will pay the criminal penalty because I see that this kind of protest will be prosecuted to the limit of rationality, that person is responding perfectly reasonably.

Now if on the other hand the record should show that Pete intended to break a law from the start, he would have a little more to answer for than his P.S. indicates. But from the information I have, I have nothing more to say other than that there is no difference between Pete and the person who pays a criminal penalty for using sparklers in the wrong place on Independence Day.

[Dezcad]

But from the information I have, I have nothing more to say other than that there is no difference between Pete and the person who pays a criminal penalty for using sparklers in the wrong place on Independence Day.

With analytical skills like that, I can understand now why CtC is such a draw for you.

[The Observer]

But from the information I have, I have nothing more to say other than that there is no difference between Pete and the person who pays a criminal penalty for using sparklers in the wrong place on Independence Day.

Really? How many people do you know that mailed or delivered sparklers (that were rigged to ignite upon opening the package) to their local postal employees on Independence Day?

[jg]

If after being exposed to the wrath of manifold criminal charges, one says, okay, I agree, technically I committed conspiracy to possess a destructive device, and I will pay the criminal penalty because I see that this kind of protest will be prosecuted to the limit of rationality, that person is responding perfectly reasonably.

Now if on the other hand the record should show that Pete intended to break a law from the start, he would have a little more to answer for than his P.S. indicates ...

Please keep these concepts in mind as you observe Hendrickson's reponse, or lack therof, to the decision(s) and orders of the court in regard to filing income taxes.

The open question is whether Hendrickson will respond "perfectly reasonably" in regard to his erroneous claim of a tax refund, and any future case(s), as he did (by your standards) to the criminal complaint.

By extension, since your overall estimation of his actions is "responding perfectly reasonably" then Hendrickson's specific acts to collect evidence against, cooperate with the authorities against and testify against his fellow wrong doers in the criminal case are included as "responding perfectly reasonably". Therefore, similar actions will be "responding perfectly reasonably" in the tax case(s), present and future, no?

[Joey Smith]

Yes, most people have bad behavior in their past.

But not everybody has blown up an innocent postal employee.

All of this overlooks the main issue, which is that you have tens-of-thousands of real legal and constitutional scholars in the United States who somehow have overlooked the enormous alleged loophole that is the CtC position, and then you have Pete Hendrickson who lacks any significant education, training or experience in tax or legal matters who claims to have somehow found the "cold fusion" equivalent of avoiding taxes.

Is Pete right and all these thousands of scholars wrong, or is Pete off on a wild goose chase and neither he nor his followers are either smart enough nor educated enough to see that he is just flat-assed wrong?

Rhetorical question, of course.

Why can't Pete get anybody with an ounce of credibility to support his position? Why is it only the pro-wrasslin' fans, dodgin' child supporters, and assorted other mega-losers who support him?

At least the courts aren't the least bit confused.

It is also funny to me to see Pete keep his money saved number on his website even though a substantial portion of it has been paid back via settlements, and it doesn't take into account the negative number that it probably would be when fines, sanctions and interest are taken into account.

But at the end of the day, we all know that Pete doesn't care one whit about the TRUTH, and instead just wants to sell as much of his snake oil to his stupid followers as he can before the Feds show up on his doorstep again.

[Doktor Avalanche]

I have read the link you provided and whether or not PH planted a bomb and whether or not he objected to it is immaterial. The bottom line is he had something to do with it.

... It really doesn't matter that it was a "smoke bomb" or that someone may or may not have been injured. There was a device, it was meant to terrorize and by some strange coincidence it just happened to be directed at that evil IRS...the same evil IRS that he's been telling everyone within earshot that nobody has to listen to and obey.

That makes your boy a fanatic.

Yes, most people have bad behavior in their past. Seems to me that if some young folks were setting up a large tax protest trying to think of ways to make a statement, and if they decided on creating a smoke flash for emphasis and effect, and if they did not believe that they were exposing their otherwise peaceful protest to criminal "mail bomb" charges, then what you're talking about is just a mistake, not terrorism. But of course, given the Patriot Act, the meaning of terrorism has been greatly expanded of late.

If after being exposed to the wrath of manifold criminal charges, one says, okay, I agree, technically I committed conspiracy to possess a destructive device, and I will pay the criminal penalty because I see that this kind of protest will be prosecuted to the limit of rationality, that person is responding perfectly reasonably.

Now if on the other hand the record should show that Pete intended to break a law from the start, he would have a little more to answer for than his P.S. indicates. But from the information I have, I have nothing more to say other than that there is no difference between Pete and the person who pays a criminal penalty for using sparklers in the wrong place on Independence Day.

Now you're pissing me off.

Your boy did a hell of a lot more than use "sparklers in the wrong place on Independence Day" - he mailed an incideniary explosive device to a post office in a concerted effort to terrorize them into not mailing tax returns to the IRS.

I thought I was accustomed to hearing weasel words but you, sir, have raised it to an art form.

[LPC]

[tripe]

Now you're pissing me off.

Once again, welcome.

Your boy did a hell of a lot more than use "sparklers in the wrong place on Independence Day" - he mailed an incideniary explosive device to a post office in a concerted effort to terrorize them into not mailing tax returns to the IRS.

My impression is that the original "idea" was that the "incendiary device" would go off after delivery to the the IRS, destroying tax returns.

Regardless, Hendrickson put a bomb in the mail intending to destroy property and not particularly caring if he also destroyed people. If the bomb had started a fire that had killed anyone, Hendrickson would have been guilty of arson and manslaughter at the very least.

Hendrickson is one of those people that value the voices in their heads over real human beings. Which is the definition of a sociopath.

I thought I was accustomed to hearing weasel words but you, sir, have raised it to an art form.

In case you haven't yet figured it out, Bulten is Hendrickson's moral and intellectual eunuch.

[Cobalt Shiva]

Let some goofball mail one of those "harmless" devices to John Bulten or one of his favored family members and see how he reacts when it goes off in that family member's (or his) face.

If that "harmless" device had hurt anyone close to me, Hendrickson would've been well-advised to (a) confess to something that would get him life in prison and (b) hope I didn't send a couple cartons of smokes to his cellie.

[Doktor Avalanche]

Once again, welcome.

Thank you, Dan. Before I get into it, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that I very much enjoyed reading your Tax Protestor FAQ. I consider it authoritative and I refer to it often.

Yes, that was awfully gushing fan-boy of me.

Hendrickson is one of those people that value the voices in their heads over real human beings. Which is the definition of a sociopath.

That or someone who doesn't give a sh*t about their fellow man.

In case you haven't yet figured it out, Bulten is Hendrickson's moral and intellectual eunuch.

That doesn't say much for Hendrickson but it's something I've gathered after reading his B.S. on the link Bulten sent me. How anyone could justify that sort of criminal behavior and write it off as harmless speaks volumes to their level of moral and ethical bankruptcy. Any illusions I've held about any redeeming qualities they might possess have been thoroughly disabused.

I have concluded that you and your comrades who are fighting the good fight against these reprobates have either the patience of Job or a degree in abnormal psychology.

It's one of the more redeeming qualities of Quatloos that brought me here; that and I get a kick out of giving tax protestors a good thrashing.

[Doktor Avalanche]

Let some goofball mail one of those "harmless" devices to John Bulten or one of his favored family members and see how he reacts when it goes off in that family member's (or his) face.

If that "harmless" device had hurt anyone close to me, Hendrickson would've been well-advised to (a) confess to something that would get him life in prison and (b) hope I didn't send a couple cartons of smokes to his cellie.

I'll go you one better:

(c) pray I didn't get the word out ahead of time that he's a snitch.

That's how I roll, baby.

[Cobalt Shiva]

Let some goofball mail one of those "harmless" devices to John Bulten or one of his favored family members and see how he reacts when it goes off in that family member's (or his) face.

If that "harmless" device had hurt anyone close to me, Hendrickson would've been well-advised to (a) confess to something that would get him life in prison and (b) hope I didn't send a couple cartons of smokes to his cellie.

I'll go you one better:

(c) pray I didn't get the word out ahead of time that he's a snitch.

That's how I roll, baby.

That's the "economy of force" package--no need to buy the smokes.

[Doktor Avalanche]

If that "harmless" device had hurt anyone close to me, Hendrickson would've been well-advised to (a) confess to something that would get him life in prison and (b) hope I didn't send a couple cartons of smokes to his cellie.

I'll go you one better:

(c) pray I didn't get the word out ahead of time that he's a snitch.

That's how I roll, baby.

That's the "economy of force" package--no need to buy the smokes.

That's my Scots heritage; forever always on the lookout to save a buck or two.

[Whipples]

This whole firebombing incident doesn’t bug me half as much as the CtC stuff and how he’s handled his case, a moment of stupidity versus prolonged false promises and failure to truly stand up for what he believes. I’ve followed Mr. Hendrickson's story for quite a while now, and I must say, the self proclaimed “Net Prophet” doesn’t impress me much.

[John J. Bulten]

This whole firebombing incident doesn’t bug me half as much as the CtC stuff and how he’s handled his case, a moment of stupidity versus prolonged false promises and failure to truly stand up for what he believes. I’ve followed Mr. Hendrickson's story for quite a while now, and I must say, the self proclaimed “Net Prophet” doesn’t impress me much.

Welcome, Whipples! Care to elaborate?

[Florida]

This whole firebombing incident doesn’t bug me half as much as the CtC stuff and how he’s handled his case, a moment of stupidity versus prolonged false promises and failure to truly stand up for what he believes. I’ve followed Mr. Hendrickson's story for quite a while now, and I must say, the self proclaimed “Net Prophet” doesn’t impress me much.

Welcome, Whipples! Care to elaborate?

Allow me. Medium size, extra pickles and no onions.

[Doktor Avalanche]

When is PH's appeal coming up?