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18th April 2018, 05:13 AM | #1 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Sandy Hook parents sue Alex Jones for defamation
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If you're not a scientist but you think you've destroyed the foundation of a vast scientific edifice with 10 minutes of Googling, you might want to consider the possibility that you're wrong. Its TRE45ON season... convict the F45CIST!! |
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18th April 2018, 10:55 AM | #2 |
Banned
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18th April 2018, 02:58 PM | #3 |
Graduate Poster
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Alex Jones is a absolute scumbag. If he believes the conspiracy, he's mentally ill. If its just for ratings he's callously using people who are suffering and causing them more suffering
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Formerly known as Titanic Explorer |
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18th April 2018, 03:17 PM | #4 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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18th April 2018, 03:17 PM | #5 |
Hasbarian NWO Templar Cattle
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Could this finally be the beginning of the end for him and his lame-o-wars?
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"Bravery Is Not A Function Of Firepower." - JC Denton "And belief in conspiracy theories is not the function of a higher intellect." - BStrong |
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19th April 2018, 10:56 AM | #6 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Sandy Hook parents sue Alex Jones
Parents of Sandy Hook victims, fed up with Alex Jones' lying about them, have filed suit for $1,000,000+.
Quote:
Sounds like they're letting him off cheap. Maybe start at $100 million and negotiate down? |
19th April 2018, 11:18 AM | #7 |
Guest
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Can you sue someone for being a moronic lunatic?
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19th April 2018, 11:38 AM | #8 |
Philosopher
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19th April 2018, 11:50 AM | #9 |
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19th April 2018, 11:51 AM | #10 |
Philosopher
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Good.
Seriously, Jones' false conspiracy crap was a large part of his idiot listeners hounding these people, sending them death threats, and other real-world nightmares. I'd be perfectly happy if they put him out of business for good. |
19th April 2018, 12:05 PM | #11 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Good. Hope it works for the parents.
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Audiophile/biker/sceptic |
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19th April 2018, 12:09 PM | #12 |
Penultimate Amazing
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I thought 'free speech' was enshrined in the US constitution, so they might find it difficult to win on the grounds of defamation. It sounds more like stalking and harassment.
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19th April 2018, 12:11 PM | #13 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Best of luck to them.
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19th April 2018, 12:13 PM | #14 |
Potsing Whiled Runk
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Blinky hasn’t anything to worry about. All he has to do is prove the hoax. Should be a slam dunk, right?
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19th April 2018, 12:24 PM | #15 |
Penultimate Amazing
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19th April 2018, 12:27 PM | #16 |
Penultimate Amazing
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You hold a common misperception of the concept of "free speech." The First Amendment means that the government can't prevent you from expressing your beliefs or punish you for it afterward. It doesn't mean you can say anything you want without consequences. It does not prevent prosecution for crimes when speech leads to action, like inciting to riot or obstruction of justice, nor does it prevent civil action when speech injures someone. In this case, the plaintiffs claim they were injured by the defendant's speech, and now they get to take it to a jury.
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19th April 2018, 12:45 PM | #17 |
Skeptical about skeptics
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I thought that they would have to demonstrate that Jones knew his allegations were false in order to claim damages. At the very least, it would have to be demonstrated that Jones had no foundation for these allegations or had no "reasonable" belief.
Either way, it is another field day for the lawyers. |
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19th April 2018, 12:59 PM | #18 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Given the demonstrable effects (ongoing harassment and threats) of these claims on the parents, the onus will be on him to show that he had a reasonable basis for them, a very difficult prospect. It seems to me that the more difficult part will be proving to the court that it was his claims that led to the harassment. It should be doable since AFAIK his was the loudest voice calling Sandy Hook a hoax, but I don't know if he originated the claim or just jumped into the driver's seat of an existing CT bandwagon.
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19th April 2018, 01:05 PM | #19 |
Now. Do it now.
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You do understand, don't you, that the constraints imposed by the constitution are entirely on the government? In other words, the government won't pass any laws which constrain the citizens freedom of religion and expression (in terms). Free speech doesn't mean you aren't liable for the consequences of what you say, it just means that you're allowed to say it in the first place.
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"The Conservatives want to keep wogs out and march boldly back to the 1950s when Britain still had an Empire and blacks, women, poofs and Irish knew their place." The Don That's what we've sunk to here. |
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19th April 2018, 01:06 PM | #20 |
Penultimate Amazing
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They are not public figures, like politicians or celebrities, and the standards are not as strict. Their claim is that they were injured by false allegations. His defense would be to prove that the allegations are true, or maybe to assert he thought they were true and had a basis for it. The plaintiffs don't have to prove that he knew they were false, which would usually be the case for a celebrity.
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19th April 2018, 01:47 PM | #21 |
Uncritical "thinker"
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His statement in hisETA
ETA: Link http://time.com/4743025/alex-jones-i...-donald-trump/
Quote:
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OECD healthcare spending Public/Compulsory Expenditure on healthcare https://data.oecd.org/chart/60Tt Every year since 1990 the US Public healthcare spending has been greater than the UK as a proportion of GDP. More US Tax goes to healthcare than the UK |
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19th April 2018, 01:50 PM | #22 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Location: Canada, eh?
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During his divorce/child custody case, Jones once claimed (through his lawyer) that what he does on InfoWars is a "performance". If that can be entered into evidence, that would certainly weaken Jones' case.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/i...-a7687571.html |
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19th April 2018, 02:01 PM | #23 |
Penultimate Amazing
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19th April 2018, 02:07 PM | #24 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Location: Canada, eh?
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But the difference is, The Onion is marketed as satire. Its audience is smart enough to recognize that the material is meant to be comical.
While one of the readers here may be smart enough to know that Jones is full of B.S., many/most of his viewers are not that smart, and will accept his statements as truthful. His "performance" cannot be interpreted as satire either by those who know he's full of B.S. (and just see him as a con artist rather than a satirist) or those who believe him. And there are a lot of those around. (The fact that his articles have lead to actual harassment of victims is proof of that.) |
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Trust me, I know what I'm doing. - Sledgehammer I'm Mary Poppins Y'all! - Yondu We are Groot - Groot |
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19th April 2018, 02:31 PM | #25 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Oh, I agree. While I believe he's playing a role, his "bits" are intended to be taken seriously by his audience as well as his detractors (as they help to inflame his audience). I'm just saying that his acknowledgment in a public record that he's engaging in "performance" isn't a magic bullet for the plaintiffs.
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19th April 2018, 02:38 PM | #26 |
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Yes. If we don't let the crazy nutjob criminally slander the parents of dead children and order assault strikes on pizza parlors with imaginary child sex dungeons today then tomorrow we're gonna be denied "Loved Ones Recall Local Man’s Cowardly Battle With Cancer" headlines in an obvious parody newspaper.
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"If everyone in the room says water is wet and I say it's dry that makes me smart because at least I'm thinking for myself!" - The Proudly Wrong. |
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19th April 2018, 02:46 PM | #27 |
Penultimate Amazing
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19th April 2018, 03:14 PM | #28 |
Penultimate Amazing
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"I know my brain cannot tell me what to think." - Scorpion "Nebulous means Nebulous" - Adam Hills |
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19th April 2018, 03:51 PM | #29 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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19th April 2018, 03:53 PM | #30 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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19th April 2018, 03:54 PM | #31 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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19th April 2018, 03:59 PM | #32 |
Penultimate Amazing
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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19th April 2018, 04:00 PM | #33 |
Penultimate Amazing
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ANother thread about this in the social issues section.
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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19th April 2018, 04:14 PM | #34 |
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"If everyone in the room says water is wet and I say it's dry that makes me smart because at least I'm thinking for myself!" - The Proudly Wrong. |
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19th April 2018, 04:14 PM | #35 |
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19th April 2018, 04:24 PM | #36 |
Penultimate Amazing
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19th April 2018, 04:45 PM | #37 |
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"I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ. I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people." - "Saint" Teresa, the lying thieving Albanian dwarf "I think accuracy is important" - Vixen |
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19th April 2018, 06:34 PM | #38 |
Rootin' Tootin' Raspberry
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It's about damn time!
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What a time to be alive! It's like the collapse of Rome but with WiFi Basically, if the GOP doesn't want to be called the white supremacy party, they should stop acting like they are. -Mumbles |
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19th April 2018, 09:47 PM | #39 |
Penultimate Amazing
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If you're not a scientist but you think you've destroyed the foundation of a vast scientific edifice with 10 minutes of Googling, you might want to consider the possibility that you're wrong. Its TRE45ON season... convict the F45CIST!! |
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19th April 2018, 10:23 PM | #40 |
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I hope he wins.
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