Over 60 organizations consider suing the SPLC for defamation

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Cenedril_Gildinaur
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Over 60 organizations consider suing the SPLC for defamation

Post by Cenedril_Gildinaur »

The SPLC is in legal trouble after describing Maajid Nawaz, practicing Muslim and anti-extremist reformer, as an anti-Muslim extremist on their infamous hate watch list. He and his organization countered by sending a demand letter to the SPLC stating their intent to sue for defamation.

They wound up settling out of court for labeling a practicing Muslim and reformer as an anti-Muslim extremist, which means that while there is a public precedent there isn't much of a legal precedent. OTOH, the fact that they settled for over 3 million on a mere demand letter without any litigation shows even they know how vulnerable their position was in that instance.

When people contest the SPLC's "hate" list, the SPLC uses the defense of "like, it's just our opinion, man." The problem is their "opinion" is widely cited as if it is somehow authoritative. Moreover the SPLC has been linked to violence against those one the list, such as Floyd Lee Corkins and the Family Research Council (FRC) or the DC shooter at the Republican baseball practice.

So now 60 different organizations are weighing their options with regards to defamation suits. Their suits aren't as solid as Nawaz' suit given that labeling a practicing Muslim as an anti-Muslim extremist goes a fair amount beyond laughable. Still, if these organizations do file and insist on separate suits, it does spell trouble for the SPLC hate group.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."
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Inanna
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Re: Over 60 organizations consider suing the SPLC for defama

Post by Inanna »

What’s the SPLC?
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Voronwë the Faithful
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Re: Over 60 organizations consider suing the SPLC for defama

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

Southern Poverty Law Center, the premier organization in America in combating hate groups of all kind. I'm not surprised that C_G is not a fan of theirs. Like any other organization made up of human beings they are not perfect, but they have done more good than most. I won't say anything else in this thread.
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Cenedril_Gildinaur
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Re: Over 60 organizations consider suing the SPLC for defama

Post by Cenedril_Gildinaur »

Voronwë the Faithful wrote:I'm not surprised that C_G is not a fan of theirs.
Why is that?
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."
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Re: Over 60 organizations consider suing the SPLC for defama

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

I should not have said that. My apologies.
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Cenedril_Gildinaur
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Re: Over 60 organizations consider suing the SPLC for defama

Post by Cenedril_Gildinaur »

It should be no surprise that I am opposed to groups that spread hate, including this one.

Here's a Youtube video of a lawyer analyzing the situation.

The conclusions are all based on an outside reading and not being privy to the conversations between the SPLC and their lawyers, but here is what they think is going on.

First, the SPLC settled with Maajid Nawaz because they realized just how weak their situation was. Using the "it's my opinion" defense would not fly in this case considering that they accused a practicing Muslim of being an anti-Muslim extremist. Had they lost, it would severely weaken their ability to use that defense against later litigants. Settling out of court prevents precedent. They paid a bundle to keep the case out of court.

Second, they wanted to prevent this case from going to court because of the process of discovery that the SPLC would be subjected to. They are the only non-profit in the country with massive off-shore bank accounts, for one thing. For another, revealing their decision criteria could also bolster other cases against the SPLC.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."
-- Samuel Adams
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