Showing posts with label Libel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Libel. Show all posts
Sunday, January 14, 2018
President Trump to look at our Libel Laws
Perhaps if the law is tightened up, these sleazy people will be deterred from false accusations that ruin lives.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Judge and Jury - The "Dahling" of City Hall
Comment Up
In 1912, The Lucerne Herald was founded. It changed its name in 1915 to the Lake Worth Herald. Is the Herald now Judge, Jury and Executioner based on gossip, hearsay and politics? Some say, "yes"and some say that the city was lacking in the respect that a newspaper should be helping readers become informed by providing them with facts and statistics and staying unbiased.
Yesterday, a story about Dee McNamara, based on second-hand information, was printed on the front page of the Lake Worth Herald. It seems a city employee accused McNamara of using the N word when asked to move from the front row to the back of the chamber the night of the Swearing-In Ceremony. Easton, publisher of the Herald, didn't hear her say the N word. Is it acceptable for Mr. Easton to smear someone on the front page of his newspaper but the supposed employee who reported the incident to the city manager and city attorney stays anonymous? Is it acceptable under any circumstance? Somehow, the allegation immediately "leaked" out to the Lake Worth Herald who ran with the unsubstantiated, "he said, she said." There was no witness who over-heard the conversation. There was no audio recording of it. The subject of this hearsay, Mrs. McNamara, denies it and wanted to know who was lying. The Herald gave her no benefit of the doubt but went with the ugly one-sided story, an "epic fail."
It's easy to to ruin your enemies’ lives, end their careers and leave them utterly destitute. And all you need is a computer, a blog or a newspaper that is highly, politically charged. A newsman must get to the truth and not resort to gossip to make a story that could be proven as libel. Even The National Enquirer does in-depth research.
According to Chapter 69, The News Manual on Defamation, a professional source for journalists and the media, "Words are very powerful. Journalists use them to inform, entertain and educate their readers and listeners. Words can be used to expose faults or abuses in society and to identify people who are to blame. However, used wrongly or unwisely, they can do harm. Words can misinform the public and they can hurt people with false accusations. At one stroke words can destroy a reputation which someone has spent a lifetime building. So people must be protected from the wrongful use of words.
You can defame a person by repeating words spoken by someone else, for example an interviewee. It is no defense to claim that you were only quoting someone else. If you write something defamatory, you could be taken to court, along with your editor, your publisher and printer or your broadcasting authority, the person who said the words in the first place ... even the newspaper seller."
In 1912, The Lucerne Herald was founded. It changed its name in 1915 to the Lake Worth Herald. Is the Herald now Judge, Jury and Executioner based on gossip, hearsay and politics? Some say, "yes"and some say that the city was lacking in the respect that a newspaper should be helping readers become informed by providing them with facts and statistics and staying unbiased.
Yesterday, a story about Dee McNamara, based on second-hand information, was printed on the front page of the Lake Worth Herald. It seems a city employee accused McNamara of using the N word when asked to move from the front row to the back of the chamber the night of the Swearing-In Ceremony. Easton, publisher of the Herald, didn't hear her say the N word. Is it acceptable for Mr. Easton to smear someone on the front page of his newspaper but the supposed employee who reported the incident to the city manager and city attorney stays anonymous? Is it acceptable under any circumstance? Somehow, the allegation immediately "leaked" out to the Lake Worth Herald who ran with the unsubstantiated, "he said, she said." There was no witness who over-heard the conversation. There was no audio recording of it. The subject of this hearsay, Mrs. McNamara, denies it and wanted to know who was lying. The Herald gave her no benefit of the doubt but went with the ugly one-sided story, an "epic fail."
It's easy to to ruin your enemies’ lives, end their careers and leave them utterly destitute. And all you need is a computer, a blog or a newspaper that is highly, politically charged. A newsman must get to the truth and not resort to gossip to make a story that could be proven as libel. Even The National Enquirer does in-depth research.
According to Chapter 69, The News Manual on Defamation, a professional source for journalists and the media, "Words are very powerful. Journalists use them to inform, entertain and educate their readers and listeners. Words can be used to expose faults or abuses in society and to identify people who are to blame. However, used wrongly or unwisely, they can do harm. Words can misinform the public and they can hurt people with false accusations. At one stroke words can destroy a reputation which someone has spent a lifetime building. So people must be protected from the wrongful use of words.
You can defame a person by repeating words spoken by someone else, for example an interviewee. It is no defense to claim that you were only quoting someone else. If you write something defamatory, you could be taken to court, along with your editor, your publisher and printer or your broadcasting authority, the person who said the words in the first place ... even the newspaper seller."
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Atheist Preston Smith answers Lake Worth Mayor, Pam Triolo
Comment Up
Madam Mayor,
Madam Mayor,
Your
recent public Facebook post is outrageously slanderous toward my image and I am
urging you to immediately remove it and issue an apology to repair any damage
caused. The libelous nature of your maligned blame is nothing short of
utterly appalling. We have taken note that this allegation has been
posted on an official Mayoral account, using, presumably, city resources and
time.
The
Courts have consistently provided wide latitude and protections to First
Amendment speech, insofar that instances of parody are, in fact, explicitly
protected. The tweet you are bizarrely referencing is clearly viewed as
satirical hyperbole, which any reasonable person can conclude.
An
offensive tweet from a personal account is irrelevant to your indefensible
actions of disrespect and victim-blaming as an elected official. The
blatant religious-viewpoint discrimination Lake Worth has demonstrated during
my atheistic invocation cannot be excused, no matter how "offensive"
you may find them. Being offended is not the litmus test for holding
office, you are here to serve all, or none. Is this the standard you are
setting for future viewpoints you disagree with, be they Satanic, Muslim, or
Pastafarian? Will you Google search all blogs, social media, and cached
sites of the speaker to find anything alarming and offensive to your
sensibilities?
You
will quickly learn by our showing of solidarity, atheists literally prove more
knowledgeable of the Bible than Christians (Pew Study, Religious Knowledge
Survey, 2010). We have to be, in order to defend our points against
constant attack. The Bible has many, many brutal methods of savagery,
honor rape, torture, arranged marriage to virgin girls, stoning children to
death, ethnic cleansing, the suppression of women and gays and atheists (a.k.a.
witches, heretics, heathens), human sacrifice, and condoning slavery. For
a plethora of passages to read at Christmas -- originally a Pagan holiday -- I
strongly suggest Deuteronomy, Leviticus, and Numbers (see attachment).
Unequivocally,
rape under any circumstance is no joke. The broader point is, rape, child
brides, polygamy, concubines, and other horror stories were commonplace during
the book's inception (hint: a book written entirely by men). Practiced
during the early Iron Age and throughout the Bronze Age, this immoral behavior
was fully endorsed by your god and never corrected by Moses, Jesus, or any
other Abrahamic mythical wizard (refer to the 10 Commandments, rape didn't make
the cut). How convenient to ignore those pesky facts, while
simultaneously criticizing an atheist for pointing them out in jest, from a
personal account, during a debate with a total stranger, six months ago,
unrelated to you, and while protected by our secular Constitution's 1st
Amendment Freedom of Speech.
I
look forward to a retraction and apology at your earliest convenience.
Preston
Smith
Proud
member of American Atheists
Monday, November 17, 2014
The "King" of Mean
Comment Up
Leona Helmsley was known as the Queen of Mean. But in Lake Worth we have the bully blogger, King of Mean, Wes Blackman, who took hours of time to personally attack another neighborhood association and the now 700 plus residences there by
designing a new banner for them using a LOON instead of the White Egret. This is his weak attempt at a play on words to describe ROLO as a bunch of looney people, crazy
and insane. You have to wonder why he is so driven to discredit an entire neighborhood association and all its residents. Perhaps there is a more personal connection with the Loon. But if you take the bird Loon, at least it is an excellent swimmer and does not need a noodle to stay afloat. He even takes a crack at the fact that ROLO changed its name. But if he had done any research at all, he would have known that the territory out here has expanded for this neighborhood association.
The photo to the right is similar to the one depicted on the other blog... did not use his graphic because of copyright, another thing he totally ignores and tramples as he cuts and pastes from this blog and takes things out of context to make points.
This is against Google's rules.
He is the chair of the Historic Preservation Board and as such represents the city. He is a Director of College Park's neighborhood association. He writes an attack blog and resorts to juvenile practices with anyone with whom he politically disagrees. He is protected by the current commission and the current President of the President's council of the NACP who has resorted to name calling herself, who all cheer him on to "victory" by using vicious smears towards all their political enemies.
**The NAPC's motto is: "Our neighborhoods have boundaries. Our commitment to each other does not." Also College Park, where he is a Director, has the following to describe itself: Our goal is to protect and improve the neighborhood by building strong relationships among neighbors, our neighborhood merchants, our City government, local law enforcement and other Neighborhood Associations throughout the City of Lake Worth. He certainly has not adhered to his NA protocol or even common decency.
While sitting in the commission chamber filming everything, he features his enemies, holding them up to ridicule on his blog, also using disparaging words in the comment section. He has allowed disgusting fantasy in order to discredit his opponents even resorting to libelous charges.
The reason he does this is all political and well, he just loves to take his hideous pot shots and be in favor with the "in crowd." The reason why he has gone after ROLO is because of the John Prince Park national ballfield idea that went "south" even though this city is still pushing the idea. ROLO spoke out against it and it was all downhill from there with the pot shots and negativity as he loves to belittle.
He has actually taken the time to come out to the ROLO neighborhood and feature videos on blight but fails to mention that the biggest blight has been caused by the City of Lake Worth at the foot of Lake Osborne. We have had to endure this mess for two years along with a portolet. He featured an apartment building across the lake that was in renovations, not even a part of ROLO but he, like a good little attack dog, included it in his smear.
This is an adult who represents the city by chairing a major board. He makes major decisions that affect property owned by many who disagree with his bully tactics. He takes political sides and goes after anyone who has a different opinion. He is on the Board and a Director of College Park Neighborhood Association.
Don't you think he at least should have an ounce of civility and be smarter than a loon?
Leona Helmsley was known as the Queen of Mean. But in Lake Worth we have the bully blogger, King of Mean, Wes Blackman, who took hours of time to personally attack another neighborhood association and the now 700 plus residences there by
The photo to the right is similar to the one depicted on the other blog... did not use his graphic because of copyright, another thing he totally ignores and tramples as he cuts and pastes from this blog and takes things out of context to make points.
This is against Google's rules.
He is the chair of the Historic Preservation Board and as such represents the city. He is a Director of College Park's neighborhood association. He writes an attack blog and resorts to juvenile practices with anyone with whom he politically disagrees. He is protected by the current commission and the current President of the President's council of the NACP who has resorted to name calling herself, who all cheer him on to "victory" by using vicious smears towards all their political enemies.
**The NAPC's motto is: "Our neighborhoods have boundaries. Our commitment to each other does not." Also College Park, where he is a Director, has the following to describe itself: Our goal is to protect and improve the neighborhood by building strong relationships among neighbors, our neighborhood merchants, our City government, local law enforcement and other Neighborhood Associations throughout the City of Lake Worth. He certainly has not adhered to his NA protocol or even common decency.
While sitting in the commission chamber filming everything, he features his enemies, holding them up to ridicule on his blog, also using disparaging words in the comment section. He has allowed disgusting fantasy in order to discredit his opponents even resorting to libelous charges.
The reason he does this is all political and well, he just loves to take his hideous pot shots and be in favor with the "in crowd." The reason why he has gone after ROLO is because of the John Prince Park national ballfield idea that went "south" even though this city is still pushing the idea. ROLO spoke out against it and it was all downhill from there with the pot shots and negativity as he loves to belittle.
He has actually taken the time to come out to the ROLO neighborhood and feature videos on blight but fails to mention that the biggest blight has been caused by the City of Lake Worth at the foot of Lake Osborne. We have had to endure this mess for two years along with a portolet. He featured an apartment building across the lake that was in renovations, not even a part of ROLO but he, like a good little attack dog, included it in his smear.
This is an adult who represents the city by chairing a major board. He makes major decisions that affect property owned by many who disagree with his bully tactics. He takes political sides and goes after anyone who has a different opinion. He is on the Board and a Director of College Park Neighborhood Association.
Don't you think he at least should have an ounce of civility and be smarter than a loon?
Friday, October 31, 2014
Lake Worth and its lack of Integrity
Comment Up
Rene Varela said it years ago, "Politics in Lake Worth is a blood sport." So much for this commission and its total lack of integrity. Talk about terrorists!
Yesterday I wrote them regarding Wes Blackman sitting on a city board and asked that he be removed for the lies and venom he spreads on his blog against this blogger in particular. Because he is a representative of the city by his political appointment as chair of the Historic Board, he should be subject to some sort of ethical standard, wouldn't you think? Well, the confidentiality request of my letter was not to be. Only one commissioner and the city manager even acknowledged they received it from me--Andy Amoroso, who appointed Blackman, and Mike Bornstein.
It is true that this is public information but no one expects their request of confidentiality to be ignored by the leaders of your own city. You go through the process of a public information request. If you constantly libel someone, slander them, present information that is a lie, hate speech, senior abuse, etc. you can be sued in a civil court. Free speech is not absolute. And the city is now complicit?
Wes Blackman has no business being on a city board. Free speech can only, by law, go so far. You can not make up fantasy and hold it out to the world as truth--call someone a racist or call them anti-Semitic? As a board member and its chair, he represents the city and all who reside here and therefore there is no place for his hate.
How do you separate his being a representative of the city and his personal choice to spread disgusting venom? He can certainly have an opinion but his comments go far beyond what is acceptable especially for someone who represents the city. Members of city boards are held to a higher standard. This is more than just a difference of opinion between two bloggers. Should he be reporting the truth, not fantasy and be allowed to maliciously resort to lie after lie for political ends and to gain brownie points from this commission and his handful of haters?
THE LETTER I sent (his entire blog post was included along with the false comments):
Wes Blackman has no place as head of your Historic board. Please remove him. His blog comments are lies and fantasy—calling me a racist and anti-Semitic for starters.
As an add, I have never been to Century Village in my life.
The first article was written by American Thinker, documented by a link and on incidents happening across the country regarding black on white crime. In his quest to ruin my credibility, he has resorted to HATE speech. This is not in good fun. This is libelous and character assassination. He feels he can intensify his false charges and defame me because of your not following rules of decorum at city commission meetings and allowing my public lynching.
Please REMOVE HIM from that board. Anyone who disagrees with him politically in this city would be subjected to his inner prejudice and could have difficulty appealing their case if they had to appear before him. Free speech is one thing but what appears below is slanderous and libelous and inaccurate fantasy. His comments prove that he has no business being on any city board much less being the Chair of the Historic Preservation board.
This is a friendly notice via e-mail.
This e-mail is confidential and not to be forwarded. Thank you.
Rene Varela said it years ago, "Politics in Lake Worth is a blood sport." So much for this commission and its total lack of integrity. Talk about terrorists!
Yesterday I wrote them regarding Wes Blackman sitting on a city board and asked that he be removed for the lies and venom he spreads on his blog against this blogger in particular. Because he is a representative of the city by his political appointment as chair of the Historic Board, he should be subject to some sort of ethical standard, wouldn't you think? Well, the confidentiality request of my letter was not to be. Only one commissioner and the city manager even acknowledged they received it from me--Andy Amoroso, who appointed Blackman, and Mike Bornstein.
It is true that this is public information but no one expects their request of confidentiality to be ignored by the leaders of your own city. You go through the process of a public information request. If you constantly libel someone, slander them, present information that is a lie, hate speech, senior abuse, etc. you can be sued in a civil court. Free speech is not absolute. And the city is now complicit?
Wes Blackman has no business being on a city board. Free speech can only, by law, go so far. You can not make up fantasy and hold it out to the world as truth--call someone a racist or call them anti-Semitic? As a board member and its chair, he represents the city and all who reside here and therefore there is no place for his hate.
How do you separate his being a representative of the city and his personal choice to spread disgusting venom? He can certainly have an opinion but his comments go far beyond what is acceptable especially for someone who represents the city. Members of city boards are held to a higher standard. This is more than just a difference of opinion between two bloggers. Should he be reporting the truth, not fantasy and be allowed to maliciously resort to lie after lie for political ends and to gain brownie points from this commission and his handful of haters?
THE LETTER I sent (his entire blog post was included along with the false comments):
Wes Blackman has no place as head of your Historic board. Please remove him. His blog comments are lies and fantasy—calling me a racist and anti-Semitic for starters.
As an add, I have never been to Century Village in my life.
The first article was written by American Thinker, documented by a link and on incidents happening across the country regarding black on white crime. In his quest to ruin my credibility, he has resorted to HATE speech. This is not in good fun. This is libelous and character assassination. He feels he can intensify his false charges and defame me because of your not following rules of decorum at city commission meetings and allowing my public lynching.
Please REMOVE HIM from that board. Anyone who disagrees with him politically in this city would be subjected to his inner prejudice and could have difficulty appealing their case if they had to appear before him. Free speech is one thing but what appears below is slanderous and libelous and inaccurate fantasy. His comments prove that he has no business being on any city board much less being the Chair of the Historic Preservation board.
This is a friendly notice via e-mail.
This e-mail is confidential and not to be forwarded. Thank you.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Channel 12 is deleting videos that have a negative story and those that put Lake Worth in any sort of truthful light. Has this current administration "gotten to them?" We know that the Wes Blackman Blog did a hatchet job on Channel 12 as well as Katie McGiveron and myself the day after we were interviewed about abandoned cars in Lake Worth. Comment on that blog is libelous and the b log author allows his blog to be smut personified..
Back on February 27, 2014, they did a segment on abandoned vehicles in Lake Worth and Katie and I got to make a statement. They deleted the video that was produced on abandoned cars in Lake Worth. Why is that? Iis it intimidation from the Lake Worth officials? Did WPEC fall for the ploy and the suggestion that they weren't being fair to the city? That they interviewed the "disgruntled" opposition? Has the free press been compromised? We no longer see videos on the slum, blight or crime in our city.
Following is the text of that video:
The following is an archived video story. The text content of that video story is available below for reference. The original video has been deleted and is no longer available.
Lake Worth residents frustrated with abandoned properties, graffiti
Story by Lauren Hills / CBS 12 NEWS
LAKE WORTH, Fla. - Abandoned properties, graffiti, and damaged cars.
"It's been an ongoing problem," said Katie McGiveren, Lake Worth resident. "Blight breeds blight and we're very frustrated."
Lake Worth has about 1,500 homes in foreclosure and about 2,000 abandoned ones.
McGiveren says abandoned cars are also becoming a problem.
There's one on 3rd Ave. south with flat tires and a notice that says it would be towed away.
Those who live nearby say the vehicle has been there for months, despite the city ordinance that says inoperative vehicles cannot be stored on any premises.
"It seems like we're becoming a dumping ground for people with junk cars and they leave them here," said Lynn Anderson, Lake Worth resident. "We want to see improvements it's our city, home, and want it to be a beautiful place."
Code enforcement posts violation notices on abandoned properties and it lists multiple options for the owner within a certain time frame.
Back on February 27, 2014, they did a segment on abandoned vehicles in Lake Worth and Katie and I got to make a statement. They deleted the video that was produced on abandoned cars in Lake Worth. Why is that? Iis it intimidation from the Lake Worth officials? Did WPEC fall for the ploy and the suggestion that they weren't being fair to the city? That they interviewed the "disgruntled" opposition? Has the free press been compromised? We no longer see videos on the slum, blight or crime in our city.
Following is the text of that video:
The following is an archived video story. The text content of that video story is available below for reference. The original video has been deleted and is no longer available.
Lake Worth residents frustrated with abandoned properties, graffiti
Story by Lauren Hills / CBS 12 NEWS
LAKE WORTH, Fla. - Abandoned properties, graffiti, and damaged cars.
"It's been an ongoing problem," said Katie McGiveren, Lake Worth resident. "Blight breeds blight and we're very frustrated."
Lake Worth has about 1,500 homes in foreclosure and about 2,000 abandoned ones.
McGiveren says abandoned cars are also becoming a problem.
There's one on 3rd Ave. south with flat tires and a notice that says it would be towed away.
Those who live nearby say the vehicle has been there for months, despite the city ordinance that says inoperative vehicles cannot be stored on any premises.
"It seems like we're becoming a dumping ground for people with junk cars and they leave them here," said Lynn Anderson, Lake Worth resident. "We want to see improvements it's our city, home, and want it to be a beautiful place."
Code enforcement posts violation notices on abandoned properties and it lists multiple options for the owner within a certain time frame.
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