newsobserver.com projects - libel - Comments

Michael Roberts of Rexxfield.com writes:

Rexxfield — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:15:26 -0400

I applaud this politicians commonsense approach to the problem of online defamation and Internet libel. However, and unfortunately, federal supremacy will overrule what he wants to do. Specifically, section 230 C. of the information communications decency act. I have written extensively on this at the following url:

http://www.rexxfield.com/abuseofintenetfreespeech.php

Maybe

James_Protzman — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:47:40 -0400

I'm trying to find out more about this, and eventually will. But in the meantime, I don't mind being a chump. It gives me ye olde moral high ground, from which it is always easier to strike.

Re: Wasn't aware of all that

Gosh — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:56:38 -0400

Paul, we agree on little and mainly butt heads on similarities, like how you're wrong all the time and I'm always right.

Yet, I get what you're doing for Chad here, and appreciate your dedication to your misguided beliefs, proven wrong time and again, even by the democratic elections you hold so dear, yet lose so, so, SO badly.

That said and quite selfishly, I agree Fetzer needs nowhere near my opposition party. I like a challenge.

I can't keep Dems honest by myself, and Fetzer can't even be honest with himself, at least any more than you.

Re: Wasn't aware of all that

PaulTerrell — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:27:27 -0400

Wait a second. I am agreeing now with Gosh. Is the world upside down?

Politicaljunkee I could say to you what people have said to me about you. But you might get mad if i say it, LOL.

Re: Wasn't aware of all that

Gosh — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:44:25 -0400

Goodness. What did the letter say exactly? Was there a voice over imitating Fetzer claiming "There is no God?" making it harder for him to lead the NCGOP which claimed suing over something as frivolous as that is an abuse of the court system and pure politics?

There's nice, then there's chump, James.

Do good. Be nice. Hold hypocritical SOB's accountable for their BS.

Wasn't aware of all that

James_Protzman — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:37:27 -0400

The coverage has been all "gay this" and "gay that." If, as you say, the story is more ominous ... and more libelous ... well, that's a horse of a different color.

Sorry to be making light of something that seems, from your comment, rather serious. My apologies to other readers, and to Mr. Fetzer.

Suit yourself

PoliticalJunkie — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:10:10 -0400

I've seen the letter, it accuses Fetzer of much much more than being "gay".

If Paul Terrell or James would sign a contract forgoing their legal right to sue me and provide me with their home address, I would gladly send a similarly libelous anonymous letter to all of their neighbors (I doubt I could get a Raleigh area radio host to read it on the air but you might experience something similar if it appeared in the mailbox of enough neighbors).

I would be interested to see how many of your neighbors let their children within 500 feet of you after reading lies similar to the ones this work of fiction contained about Fetzer.

Re: Fetzer files libel suit against Wright

greenswamp — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:32:19 -0400

I agree that whether or not Fetzer is gay is completely irrelevant in this. What seems to be at play here is the demise of the old Lee Atwater brand of politics where rumors are suggested just enough to turn voters. These days, such tactics are going to be challenged. These radio hosts are not called into question enough for their content and political strategies. Instead of a Fairness Doctrine, we need a Truth Doctine which would fine someone in the media for misrepresenting facts.

Re: Hilarious!

PaulTerrell — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:09:47 -0400

I agree with James on this. If you are not secure in whatever you say you are. Then it is not someone else calling you a name that you need to be worried about.

James and I might take digs at each other, but at the end of the day we have got to earn the money to pay our bills and taxes. Someone calling me a name is not very high on my list of concerns.

Hilarious!

James_Protzman — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:22:57 -0400

Someone called me gay yesterday. I considered it a compliment. There are no doubt dozens of good reasons to shun and avoid Mr. Fetzer. His alleged gayness, however, is not one of them. To my knowledge.

Re: Fetzer files libel suit against Wright

captsfufp — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:01:37 -0400

If I were the opposing party, I would examine Rule 11 sanctions for this frivolous lawsuit. Or do they really want to open discovery to allow the defense of truth to be examined?

Re: Fetzer files libel suit against Wright

jlabus — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:45:07 -0400

In 2009, filing such a lawsuit may actually be more telling about what a filer thinks of gay people.

Re: Fetzer to sue over gay allegation

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:31:57 -0400

I hate to do this, but I'm just going to pre-emptively turn off comments for this post. It's a long weekend and I don't feel like babysitting the discussion here.

Sorry!

— RTB

Re: Three problems with blog libel bill

cdtew — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:39:41 -0500

About jurisdiction, I would like to know whether Mr. Zimmerman believes that the NC Supreme Court would merely read into the statute the limits of Due Process under the 14th Amendment, in effect giving it a sliding scale such as in Zippo Manufacturing v. Zippo Dot Com (W.D. Penn 1997).

Thanks for this summary

James_Protzman — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:52:48 -0500

Very helpful.