ANST - Court of Public Opinion

[stddly at SHSU.edu]

Heilsa all...

Kief here... My right good Brother Lyonel wrote...

>Salut Cozyns,
>
>Lyonel aisai.
>
>In response to der Ritter Dieterich's statement--

*Paragraphs deleted*

>I cannot agree with M. Dore's enlargement.  First, "libel" certainly
applies to criminal accusations published in a public forum.  Second, the
>plaintiff need only show a reasonable potential for damage coupled with
>malice aforethought, both of which are fairly easy to demonstrate in this
>case.  "Damage" need only extend so far as to limit the plaintiff's pursuit
>of happiness, which making him anathema at SCA events would certainly do.
>M. Dore's third statement is the popular misunderstanding of libel
>cases--"just prove it's true, and you're clear!"  Uh-uh, doesn't work that
>way.  True statements are still libelous if they're malicious and
>potentially damaging.  A few years ago, a reputable major news chain tried
>to publish a tell-all article about the journalistic practices of the
>National Enquirer.  The NE sued before the article made it to press.  The
>newspaper in question swore they'd written only the truth, but they were
>forced to settle out of court to avoid the hundred-million dollar suit,
>which they knew they couldn't win.  The reporter had gone after the NE with
>malicious intent--a desire to discredit.

Good and Kind Sir... If the "plaintiff's"..."pursuit of happiness" involved
your family members...what would you do? Would you have wished for a prior
warning? What price the" plaintiff's" alleged "damage"?

>As for the SCA's complicity or even Ansteorra's complicity, these are
>inconsequential.  What ruins non-profit groups isn't losing cases, it's
>having to fight the cases.  The court costs would be prohibitive and could
>be crippling.

At what point did I ever mention the SCA or Ansteorra in my statement? I gave a
_personal_ opinion. Should the SCA let the possible "crippling costs" dictate
our standards of behavior?

>Der Ritter Dieterich was, I think, right-headed in his admonition to keep
>such warnings private.

I ask, my good friend, how I'm to "privately" warn all those in another Kingdom
about a potential threat to their families...?

>lo vostre por vos servir
>Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace

Waes Thu Hael Brother...!

Kief


"Better ther Hammer than the nail..."
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