Libel/slander of South Creek Nursery = Cajun
I really think that Jeanne is nit-picking the law. As long as I firmly
believe in what I'm saying, (my own experience), I'm gonna say my piece -
darn it.
In a way, what she says - it's like telling me that I can't speak my opinion
about a business that I shop at - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Don't worry, if I like the way they do things, I spread the word about that
too. That's what the American way is all about. You have to perform are you
get booted.
Cheers = Cajun Joe
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> I would be interested in what the list owners have to say in response to
this.
>
> Jeanne, with respect for your knowledge and opinion as a lawyer, to
refrain
> from commenting on the merits/demerits of a particular nursery denies one
> of the major benefits of the mail list. Admittedly, the information can be
> exchanged privately, but then only one person benefits from that
information.
>
> I see a difference between comments about a person vs. comments about the
> quality of a business or service. I do not approve of, nor engage in the
> former, but do think public comment on the latter is important if
> businesses are to improve. What you are saying is that if I get on the
mail
> list and say that I dislike the Ford Whatever because I rented one once
and
> thought it was a cheap knockoff of the Honda Accord, am I guilty of
> libel/slander or just guilty of expressing an opinion?
>
> I know these are tricky questions, and that someone out there is just
> waiting for a test case to emerge to clarify the law, but still.....
>
> Gerry
>
> At 02:40 PM 1/9/00 EST, you wrote:
> >Hi folks,
> >
> >With respect to discussing satisfaction with a nursery on the List, as
> >opposed to responding off-list to the query:
> >
> >As a lawyer, I feel I must suggest that, while it is fine to ask whether
> >others have had a satisfactory experience with a certain nursery, to
avoid
> >creating problems for the person posting the response and also for the
> >ListServ, *all* responses to such a query should be made off-list, and
> >privately, to the person asking the question.
> >
> >To say something negative about a person with respect to how that person
> >makes his/her livelihood is to invite a suit for slander or libel. Of
course,
> >there are defenses, such as "Truth is a defense to libel", but who needs
the
> >grief?
> >
> >I would urge all participating in this discussion to keep the above in
mind.
> >
> >Jeanne Hannah
> >Traverse City, MI
> >USDA 5b
> >
> >
>
