If this nonsense continues, I would be surprised if the airline industry lasts another 15 years. Perhaps that is OBL's real goal?
This is a bad precedent that threatens First Amendment rights.
You may not like vanity publishers. Still, if a publisher's business model is that they will print whatever someone wants as long as they get paid the materials cost, distribution cost, plus a profit, then shouldn't they be treated as a common carrier? Do you think an ISP should be able to get sued for libel because of statements made by one of its subscribers? I don't see how this is any different. The law should not encourage people to be spies, especially where it would have a chilling effect on free speech.
I'd just as soon junk libel laws entirely. It's so difficult to win a libel judgment in most cases that it's virtually a crap shoot. Rush Limbaugh has the dirtiest mouth on radio - how many times has he been sued for libel? Most libel cases I see involve rich and powerful people who want to shut up their critics.
| Year | Number of comments posted |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 3 |
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