blargblog
An expulsive extension of
Should we really be surprised some weasel has employed a lawyer to threaten Atrios with a libel suit? I am not suggesting it is justified—far from it. Rather, I am more surprised that it took our lawsuit happy culture so long to start attacking bloggers. I have seen threats on message boards and blog comment sections to sue another poster for libel or slander in the heat of an argument. (After a glass of warm milk and a cookie, the offended usually toddle off to bed in a more mollified disposition.) But this.... Oy.
What's amusing to me is how the threat of lawsuit against Atrios' commentors has only enraged them further, inviting even more frothing levels of vitriol. What's not so amusing, however, is the chilly lawyerspeak of the threatening letter itself. The whole issue of some low-level Horowitz wannabe suing a blogger, even one as popular as Atrios (or even a blogging celeb like Instapundit), over a blog posting is so ridiculous, one is tempted to brush it off. But lawyers, man, they don't mess around. I'd hate to see this become a new political tactic—for use by either the left or the right (or the middle, etc.) People need to get a better sense of humor.
Posted by kevinmoore at October 30, 2003 04:54 PM | TrackBackBut the point isn't the suit, which is so obviously frivolous it's not even funny. It's threatening to reveal Atrios' identity in order to intimidate him into not criticizing Luskin. If this is brought to court, it won't last a preliminary hearing. They're hoping Atrios will be so scared of being "outed" that he won't bring it to court.
ie Luskin is an asshole.
Posted by: Raznor at October 31, 2003 02:34 PMIndeed. Which is why I am concerned that this lawsuit tactic might spread. As it applies to Atrios, you're right, it threatens his anonymity; but it also risks setting a precedent of intimidating other bloggers, anonymous or not, from being "too critical" at the risk of libel, frivolously charged or not.
Still, like the FOX suit against Al Franken (or even against itself, via The Simpsons), it could backfire. Atrios might just shrug, "out" himself and take it to court. Or he might fight for the right of his anonymity. I'm interested to see how far this gets. Hopefully not too far, cuz it's so ridiculous in the first place. But when did that ever stop a lawsuit?
Posted by: Kevin Moore at October 31, 2003 04:23 PMAtrios is actually a CIA agent working undercover as a butler in Robert Novak's house.
Posted by: J. Pinkham at October 31, 2003 05:06 PMSo, Mr. Pinkham, will you reveal your sources? Hmmmmm?
Posted by: Kevin Moore at October 31, 2003 05:21 PMI agree
Posted by: anne at January 26, 2004 09:28 AMI agree
Posted by: steve at January 27, 2004 01:10 PMEither I have a fan base at NASA, or the space program now includes spamming the comments sections of blogs by obscure political cartoonists.
Posted by: Kevin Moore at January 28, 2004 10:29 AM