slander vs. libel

[kalmn]

is it slander or libel if i say that lettus service of st paul, for whom brad matala is a major representative, are goatfuckers?

i'm just curious.

today they tore out my basement shower, left for three hours (there was a good reason for leaving, but not a good reason for not explaining clearly about it), then went to go buy parts which turned out to be unavailable (is it just me, or is the first rule of projects "gather everything you need"?), and then explained to me that my "one hour project", as brad matala kept spluttering at me over the phone, was in no way going to be done tonight and tomorrow they'd start looking for the parts they needed but that they had other things to do today.

when i said that i was not happy with this turn of events, and did not consider their lack of communication or their planning skills to be very professional, brad matala (it could be pigs; i'm not sure about the goats) told me that since it was obvious that i wasn't going to be happy with the results, how about they didn't charge me any money and they didn't finish the job.

i am very happy to not be charged money.
i am very happy to never have to deal with any of those people again.
i am very unhappy to be without a shower until, likely, thursday, as the other contractors i called are going to be able to squeeze me in and will get this problem solved for me, but while this is, they say, an emergency, it does need to be fit around other jobs.
i am very happy with the new contractors. so far. the woman there was very soothing to me on the phone, and communicated all necessary details to me. communication! who'da thunk it?

reciting facts is neither libel nor slander, i'm certain. i'm just wondering what saying they fuck goats is.

Comments

[brooksmoses]

When clearly not meant literally, my guess is that it's at worst obscenity.

[brooksmoses]

Also, yes, the first rule of projects is "gather everything you think you need". But the second rule of projects, at least for home repairs, is, "You will still need to make at least three trips to the hardware store, because you will find yourself needing things you didn't think you'd need."

A person would expect that professionals would be able to do a bit better than that, though.

[sageincave.livejournal.com]

Uh....that's fucked up, whether there are goats involved or not.

I have a shower. If you need one.

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

having just gotten back from the hardware store (after the first trip to menards) i am quite quite quite familiar with that rule. heh. on the other hand, as you said, i don't do this professionally. (and the part that they couldn't find was the specific part i'd called them about, not a random bit. shower surround, to be precise.)

(also, the googone and chisels? not for the shower.)

Firecat's quote file to the rescue

[firecat]

The U.S. Court of Appeals said the trial court was right to dismiss a slander lawsuit against the Franklin County (Ohio) Board of Elections chairman Terry Casey. Casey had called Federal Elections Commission official Gary Greenhalgh a "lying asshole," but the Court said that phrase is merely rhetorical hyperbole. Casey could not have meant, said the Court, that someone's "anus was making an untruthful statement." -- National Law Journal, 10-30-95; reported in News of the Weird

I suspect this also applies to goat fucking.

[supergee.livejournal.com]

One essential element in libel/slander is plausibility.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

I feel luckier and luckier with the guys who did my kitchen.

Also, I lived at Home Depot (I can't get that damn jingle out of my head), but part of the deal I wanted was that I put materials on my credit card, so I orchestrated that craziness :):). "Good morning, Kathy, here's the list!"

[monstersocks.livejournal.com]

How about hirsute pigfuckers? That sneaks the goat part right in there, too.

[boliviafang.livejournal.com]

I'm frankly stunned by the fact that some people think "goat fucking" could only be hyperbole since.. what? ..no one could ever really fuck a goat? In this day and age, even in this year's worth of newspapers alone we know that goat f-- well, you know.. is very.. ah... well, it's not as impossible as a talking anus, so therefore, it probably is [edit: slander libel.]

However since this is "LiveJournal" and a journal is typically considered one's private or personal opinions, you may have a loophole, but probably only if you friends-filter the post. You can post a public version that doesn't include bestiality and be totally in the right, I suspect.

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

well, were i to actually say such a thing, i'd keep that in mind.

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

I think you have a real shot at the implausibility defense. Goats and pigs are highly discriminating and intelligent animals who would never have congress with people like that.

I don't think anything higher on the evolutionary tree than a slime mold would do it. Even then, it would be rape.

[boliviafang.livejournal.com]

If you say it, it's slander, if you write it, it's libel.
Both are actionable.
But I believe you're absolutely right that you can simply state the facts without fear of reprisal. I myself had plenty to say about Custom Remodelers many years ago.
..although now that I think about it, maybe getting an entire table of ten at a restaurant to loudly chant "Custom Remodelers will screw you over!" may have been slander... unless screwing over is not the same as screwing, per se.

[tigerbunny-db.livejournal.com]

If you want to be on the safe side, you can always use the usual dodge. "It seems very likely that they're goatfuckers. Some are saying that they like to fuck goats. Is it irresponsible to speculate? It would be irresponsible NOT to. Think of the poor GOATS!"

[nellorat.livejournal.com]

I'd worry that you might get sued for slander or libel by the pigs or goats.

[pants-of-doom.livejournal.com]

Libel is written.

Slander is spoken.

It is neither if what you are saying is true.

been there, done that

[7patches.livejournal.com]

I really wish it weren't SOP to give unreasonably short project estimates for these jobs. We needs our showers!

Huh

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

I'd say goat fucking... sounds accurate.

that sucks.

[ailbhe]

Goats are too good for 'em. Can you bill them for your time? I assume billing them for your inconvenience is asking a bit much.

[hedgiewan.livejournal.com]

Better. Business. Bureau.

[pgdudda.livejournal.com]

Won't. Do. Jack.

(Except add one's complaint to a - presumably - growing list.)