How do I teach this punk a lesson?

[forever_town]

I wrote a column about a situation where a group allegedly barred a reporter representing a Latino television network from its meeting. I wrote the column as an opinion piece and was careful to write it in such a way as to not accuse the guy of a crime or anything of the sort.

Anyway, the guy wrote a long letter/guest column in response. In it, he accused me of libel AND said what I wrote: "ranks with the best of the propaganda generated against my people by Dr. Joseph Geobbels during the Third Reich."

That sounds like defamation of character to me ... what do I do about it?

 

[BillyT]

Your paper ran that?

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

You're going to teach the ignorant a lesson? Good luck.

 

[SF_Express]

Well, first of all, if you write an opinion piece and somebody writes an opinion in response, and he only likens your work to that of the Nazis, and doesn't say you're a card-carrying Nazi (and even that almost certainly wouldn't do it), then you'd better get a lot more familiar with what constitutes "defamation of character."

There is absolutely zero that's actionable there, and unless you're leaving something out, his claim of libel might be OK copy, but as a legal threat, it's just as hollow. He's got no libel case, you've got no defamation case.

Even in a straight news story, "ranks with" is simply a comparison and his opinion.

What you should do about it is zero.

 

[VetBroMan]

Nothing! You just have to roll with the punches, unfortunately.

 

[TwoGloves]

C'mon, I can't believe nobody suggested the obvious: Find out where he lives and upper deck him.

 

[fishwrapper]

I think of instances like this and my response is always one sentence:
"I've been called worse by better."

 

[Stoney]

You get a thicker skin. As offensive as you might've found them, those words won't support an actionable defamaton suit. Particularly if they're in response to something you first wrote and published about him. You sue and you'll get nothing but costs and further embarrassment.

 

[forever_town]

In other words, give him enough rope, let him hang himself.

He didn't need my help to make him look like an idiot.

 

[mike311gd]

In other words, give him enough rope, let him hang himself.

He didn't need my help to make him look like an idiot.

Or throw a bag of **** at his house. That usually works, too.

 

[Billy Pritchard]

In other words, give him enough rope, let him hang himself.

He didn't need my help to make him look like an idiot.

Or throw a bag of **** at his house. That usually works, too.

A flaming bag of **** works better.

 

[Chi City 81]

In other words, give him enough rope, let him hang himself.

He didn't need my help to make him look like an idiot.

Or throw a bag of **** at his house. That usually works, too.

Outing alert: Mike's real name is Ronald Miller.

 

[Tom Petty]

forever - stop thinking of revenge. that **** is for losers.

the only thing people will remember is your column. nobody gives a **** about a letter/guest column.

you won, dude. don't even bother reading the other **** next time.

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

Just live better than him. That's your best revenge.

 

[jambalaya]

Just live better than him. That's your best revenge.

Didn't Jerry tell that once to George?

 

[bigbadeagle]

Call this ****bag out by saying he attacked you because you were defending the rights of a minority reporter. Turn this **** around on him. Remember, you buy ink by the barrel. And the jerk store is running out of him.
Then go over to his house and pistol whip him. Usually works for me.

 

[Walter Burns]

**** teaching the guy a lesson. Cut the piece out and frame it, and remember the words of Reggie Jackson: Fans don't boo nobodies.

 

[chazp]

[Blue] Forget teaching him a lesson. Take revenge. Put one behind his left ear. The best part is, it'll look like a pro did it and the cops won't trace it back to you![/blue]

 

[Chi City 81]

[Blue] Forget teaching him a lesson. Take revenge. Put one behind his left ear. The best part is, it'll look like a pro did it and the cops won't trace it back to you![/blue]

This is perhaps the most disturbing use of the blue font in SportsJournalists.com history.

 

[TyWebb]

Just live better than him.  That's your best revenge.

Didn't Jerry tell that once to George?

Jerry: The best revenge is living well.

George: Well, there's no chance of that happening.

Always been one of my favorite Seinfeld quotes.