Memo to Jack Deth
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Well, Jack, even though we don't officially know what happened to you and your lawsuit, we know what happened with this one. It seems to have a bearing on your case, and that of your online buddy Brent Leroy. Until this ruling is challenged (and I think it will be), perhaps it would be best for you and others to tread a little lighter. Used to be, political and other public figures were 'fair game'. I'm not so sure that's true anymore. Is the tide turning for freedom of expression in these United States? "When fashion model Liskula Cohen sued Google, she took aim at one of the key online tenets: On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog. "Disguised in comforting anonymity, bloggers and online commenters can type some pretty nasty things – accusations and language that they’d never say to people face-to-face. However, the masquerade ball may have just ended. "Ms. Cohen brought Google to court, demanding that the company reveal the identity of a blogger that she says defamed her. The NYC-gossip blogger mocked Cohen and called the model a “40-something” who “may have been hot 10 years ago.” Cohen was 36 at the time. The post, which ran on Google’s Blogger service, has since been removed. "Judge Joan Madden agreed with Cohen and ordered Google to give up the name. As the Times reports: The New York Supreme Court Justice “rejected the blogger’s claim that the blogs ’serve as a modern-day forum for conveying personal opinions, including invective and ranting’, and should not be treated as factual assertions.” "On “Good Morning America” yesterday, the Giorgio Armani and Versace model told Dianne Sawyer that the online taunter was actually an acquaintance –“an irrelevant person in my life … that girl who was always there.” Now that she knew the blogger’s identity, Cohen was second guessing a libel lawsuit." For the rest of the story: http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2009/08/20/google-lawsuit-dispe... “If you treat an individual as he is, he will stay as he is; but if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 
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Is a fashion model a public figure. Is Don Baylor a public figure?
I am beginning to wonder if we have some Jack's on here now?
Good play on words, Benny (even though I don't think you meant it that way): "Is a fashion MODEL a public FIGURE?" Lol.
And who is Don Baylor? Never heard of him.
“If you treat an individual as he is, he will stay as he is; but if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Boston RedSox
Sorry, I meant Darrell.
Bosox, exactly.
Darrell Baylor is a local businessman, not a public figure imo. As for the Jack Deth case, there was seemingly no public resolution of the issue. I am supposing there was probably a private agreement between the Baylors and the Jack Deth persona and the issue was dealt with in a way which satisfied the Baylors and didn't embarass the JD persona or his/her employers. That way, there was no need to determine whether Mr. Baylor corresponded with the legal definition of a 'public figure' as a businessman.
According to Wikipedia: Public figure is a legal term applied in the context of defamation actions (libel and slander) as well as invasion of privacy. A public figure (such as a politician, celebrity, or business leader) cannot base a lawsuit on incorrect harmful statements unless there is proof that the writer or publisher acted with malice (knowledge or reckless disregard for the truth). The burden of proof is higher in the case of a public figure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_figure
In my opinion, when they cite business leader, they are meaning someone of the level of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, etc. Darrell Baylor doesn't seem to be in that category.
“If you treat an individual as he is, he will stay as he is; but if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Jack's no doubt enjoying the weather up in Traverse City right now but it will start snowing up there next month and he'll wish he was back in Andertucky, back at his old tricks of hyping his 'rag' on 'Hey, Martha'!
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. - Thomas Jefferson
Neither Jack Deth or Brent Leroy have the b**ls to say 95% percent of the garbage they spewed to the persons face.
There is a huge difference between freedom of speech and slander/harassment.
I hear he was forced to re-locate to another paper within CNHI.
I hear he was forced to re-locate to another paper within CNHI.
Can you imagine going home from work and telling your wife or husband you're being exiled to a small town in Michigan? Can you spell D-I-V-O-R-C-E?
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. - Thomas Jefferson
Nobody will be up to their old tricks on Hey Martha at all in the near future. Didn't you hear? CNHI will be shutting all the forums down. There is going to be a LOT of wishing going on then. Where will they all get their 'nastiness' fix?