Exceptionalization

It’s one thing to stretch the law to stop a criminal syndicate or terrorist organization. It’s quite another when prosecuting a reckless young man.

So says Tim Wu in an article about the suicide of one of the leading lights of the blogosphere, Aaron Swartz. Being unfamiliar with Mr. Wu who is a law professor, I am not sure if he has observed the following: If one can stretch a law for one purpose, one will tend to stretch the law for any whim and fancy

A LATE REALIZATION: Why are we always talking about laws being ‘stretched’ and never ‘shrunk’ to fit? is there a 3rd law of thermodynamics for, er, the law?