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From: kaufman@uiucdcs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: I'm Kenny, Sue Me!
Message-ID: <36200178@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 24-Jan-85 16:15:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.36200178
Posted: Thu Jan 24 16:15:00 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 26-Jan-85 06:23:24 EST
Lines: 49
Nf-ID: #N:uiucdcs:36200178:000:2694
Nf-From: uiucdcs!kaufman    Jan 24 15:15:00 1985


[alternate titles: A Boy Named Sue, Look For the Union Libel]
Somewhat incoherent ranting ahead - read at your own risk.

     A new craze has hit Americans of all types.  They are poring through
written and broadcast material, hoping to find slanderous material, so that
they may sue somebody.  Conversely, they have become paranoid, afraid to say
anything themselves, on the grounds that they will probably be sued.
Wapnermania has struck the US.

     It really is sad.  People's egos are so fragile that they have begun
worrying that anything untrue said about them will be taken as gospel by
everyone else and that their characters will be permanently damaged.  They
dig deeper trenches and hide behind them, thereby threatening the free exchange
of ideas.  Why, look what's happening on this net!

     How many companies are scared shitless that someone will be either stupid
enough or Wapnermanic enough to sue them for what an employee will say?  Only
a lawyer could take those disclaimers seriously.  I really get my jollies
suing big corporations because somebody they're paying flamed me.  This isn't
Fantasy Island!  The only reason I'd consider suing Time Inc. is if they
refused to deliver me the Sports Illustrateds I have due.  Why not add the
disclaimer:  "I am not responsible for delivery of my company's products"? :-)

     Look at the Stargate mess?  Why does the stuff have to be moderated,
they say.  Because the beamers are afraid of being sued.  The unspoken
message:  Transmit this, and I'll see you in court.  What an ultimatum!  Looks
like the entire net is itching to sue everyone else.

     Do I see jj suing the person who called him a "bleeding heart liberal"?
Are Helen Anne and Walt suing and countersuing each other?  (sorry to give you
two ideas :-( ) Is Jeff suing each and every one of us??!!?  Lord knows, with
the prevalent attitudes, these people could easily feel justified to take
such action.

     I urge you to take a look.  When somebody says a heap of lies about you,
who of any value is actually going to believe them?  If some of us begin to
take down our legal barriers, perhaps others will too.  It may be a slow
process, but Rome wasn't dismantled in a day either.  We should begin to search
for truth, rather than lies.

Ken Kaufman (uiucdcs!kaufman)
DISCLAIMER:  This article contains no disclaimer whatsoever, and all
suggestions that one exists will be disclaimed.  Anyone stupid enough or
Wapnermanic enough to take anybody - whether or not they were involved in the
production of this article - to court on account of the fact that they feel
libeled by any of the above statements deserves the full ridicule of the
general public.