Family, Friends Blame Government for Aaron Swartz's Suicide
Highland Park native and Internet activist Aaron Swartz, who committed suicide at 26 last Friday, was tormented unfairly by the federal government, according to those who spoke at his funeral on Tuesday.
Highland Park native Aaron Swartz was remembered as a brilliant, compassionate mind who inspired friends and family alike during a moving funeral service held at Central Avenue Synagogue on Tuesday. The 26-year-old who committed suicide last Friday was also mourned as a victim of unfair treatment by the government. In the packed to capacity chapel, Swartz's academic mentors, his defense attorney and his father lamented the impending trial Swartz was preparing for that they believe contributed to his depression and led to his decision to hang himself in his New York apartment last week. Swartz co-created the social news website Reddit and founded Demand Progress, an organization devoted to Internet activism and fighting expanded government…
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Brian Brehart
10:54 am on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
I can respect that Swartz' parents are grieving, but his father is being deliberately blind to the activities in which is son was involved. I care little for Swartz' ideals, the fact is that he committed acts of thievery. And the fact that Aaron Swartz' killed himself is not the fault of the government, MIT, the criminal justice system or even his parents, it is the fault of Swartz himself. … more ›