WARNING: The following will no doubt be offensive to some of you. So if you can't handle it, don't read it. I mean... it's only words. But some people get pretty freaked out by words.
It's Only Words
In the late 1960s and early 70s there was a lot of controversy over words, especially "dirty" or "inappropriate" words broadcast on television. In 1972, American comedian George Carlin first listed in his monologue "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television", following the arrest of Lenny Bruce for using the words in his act.
List of seven words George Carlin said you can never say on television:
In 2007 Nexus CEO Jim D'Angelo and Peter D. Freeman sued Hannabelle for words she said in her opinion blog "The Bradbury Buzzz". The lawsuit charged that Hannabelle's words were "scurilous" [scur-ri-lous. adj. 1. Given to the use of vulgar, coarse, or abusive language; foul-mouthed.] and "defamatory" [de-fam-a-to-ry. adj. 1. (Law) injurious to someone's name or reputation].
Although both Freeman and D'Angelo admitted at trial that their names and reputations had NOT been injured, they persecuted Hannabelle in a lengthy court battle. D'Angelo admitted that several of the words he charged as defamatory were indeed NOT defamatory. Eventually both Plaintiffs dropped the lawsuit in December 2010, in order to avoid a jury trial and because they could not prove any damages. But they continued seeking an injunction to remove the blogger's Freedom of Speech. Judge Marilyn Rosenbaum refused to impose an injunction on Hannabelle. Freeman and D'Angelo wasted a whole lot of money, walking away with absolutely nothing.
List of seven words Jim D'Angelo said you can never say in a blog:
- Egocentric
- Arrogant
- Snake
- Narcissistic
- Cold-blooded
- Liar
- Heartless (missing a heart)
Yes, these are some of the actual words in his lawsuit against me. Of course, to be fair, I DID use them while offering my opinion of him personally as he bullied his sex offender institution into my unwilling neighborhood. What can I say? D'Angelo was the aggressor. He selected MY home territory to invade with his sex offenders. He bamboozled the people in MY home town with false promises of jobs and money. He did not have to be so brutal when I opposed him. He chose to be. I honestly believe that he liked it! I based my opinion that he's a sadist on my personal experiences in dealing with him. I had evidence that he is a liar. He even lied on a sworn affidavit, committing perjury.
$
Hannabelle: Why are you suing me?
D'Angelo (laughing): We thought you'd go away!
$
D'Angelo: Keep sending me emails. I enjoy them.
Hannabelle: But you never write back.
D'Angelo: I don't want to give you the satisfaction.
$
D'Angelo : We WILL be neighbors!
$
Nothing I said or did could stop D'Angelo. My life was being ruined. What could I do? I used WORDS in self-defense. But I didn't defame anyone.
Ironically, the fact that Poopsie sued me kind of supports what I said about him, don't you think? Wouldn't it have been more professional to address my concerns and treat me like a human being rather than act like he did: ignoring me [the Silent Treatment is one of the most cruel forms of social punishment], refusing to answer my emails [didn't want to give me satisfaction?], belittling me in public, [like when he announced at the Onamia City Hall that he thought I was responsible for my mother's perforated ulcer], calling on his employees and MLA supporters to harass me [using the company intranet to rally the troops], etc. Wouldn't one expect a little more compassion from the CEO of the NEXUS corporation - the one who boasts of "cornerstone values"? The company that's suppose to help poor troubled boys? After all, the fight was over after the first bulldozer tore down the first 200 year old pine tree. The lawsuits were merely punishment. I was a scapegoat, an example for the rest of the town...
Also ironic is that when I began using words to fight for my cause, I researched "defamation" to make sure that I didn't cross any line. I learned that if you tell the truth and offer your opinion, you're safe from being charged. I was careful. Nothing I said was, according to law, defamation. They SUED me ANYWAY- probably using Minnesota and Illinois tax dollars. [In the settlement proposal, Nexus attorney Victor Lund said that Nexus, which subsists on tax dollars would pay for Freeman and D'Angelo...]
The nine words of Lenny Bruce and the seven words of George Carlin ended up in the Supreme Court. Nearly four decades later, the words of Hannabelle ended up in Hennepin County Fourth District Court. Although by denying Freeman and D'Angelo's injunction Hannabelle won the case, Judge Marilyn Rosenbaum ruled that her words were defamatory. The Law says they aren't. The judge says they are. What's a girl to do? Laws have become meaningless in Minnesota. Just ask Johnny Northside who was found guilty of defamation even though he told the truth.
I told the Truth. If I was a rich CEO with political connections, maybe Rosenbaum would have believed me... I wonder if she even read the documents. Freeman and D'Angelo offered no evidence. Not a shred of evidence. At least I won, but while doing so, I lost everything - even my reputation. Go figure.
Freedom of Speech: 7 Dirty Words - Check out Wikipedia.
The FCC regulations regarding "fleeting" use of expletives were ruled unconstitutionally vague by a three-judge panel of the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York on July 13, 2010, as they violated the First Amendment due to their possible chilling effects on free speech.
It's Only Words
It's only words and words are all I have (to take your heart away.)
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