Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00744)

Brenda wrote:

> I, for one, think that we shouldn't slander anyone on theos-l and that
> name-calling and other similar associations with slander should be
censored.
> It's illegal to slander, isn't it?

Well, we need not "slander" CWL just because we want to talk about him.
 Name-calling is useless in the pursuit of truth, but hiding from facts is
useless as well.

And yes, slander is illegal if it defames character, causes a loss of income,
or other "material" damage. There is one more thing to note about slander:
legally, only the living can be slandered. HPB sued the New York Sun for
printing Elliot Coues' slander against herself and the T.S. in 1890, but the
case was dropped when she died the following year. (It seems the dead cannot
suffer material damage.)

Rich