Defamation by Radical Group

[HawaiianBurger]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? LA

Today we had a radical Christian group visit our university campus. This is the "typical" muslims, catholics, gays, lesbians, blacks, etc. are going to hell for whatever reason. I was passing by them in front of our student activities center when one lady proceeded to call me a whore, a fornicator, in front of god and everyone else. She said I was damned to hell, blah blah (I'm atheist, so I wasn't exactly shaken by her prophecies), but I found such behavior so amoral and, frankly, disturbing. That aside, I was just able to reproduce the scenario, but I had my friend video tape from behind. I therefore have physical evidence of her naming me - or should I say alerting others - to the false assertion of my being a whore.

This must be defamation. I can only imagine what people around me thought when this was stated initially. Do I have legitimate grounds for a defamation suit? Gross verbal abuse? Deep down I want these people gone. They come to disrupt an otherwise peaceful, liberal, happy campus. It may be their right to stand there, but I find no justification in said employed methods. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE - INSANITY?!?

If there is no civil legal action that may be taken, what may I do to prevent this from occurring in the future. Notify police of a mob hurling verbal assault to pedestrians? Thanks for any help you may provide

 

[Zigner]

Grow thicker skin

 

[quincy]

Nothing that you have posted here, HawaiianBurger, would support a defamation suit against the woman who yelled at you (nor, Zig, would you have a suit against HawaiianBurger ).

When the word "whore" is used, it is almost always considered, in almost all contexts, rhetorical hyperbole. Certainly it (and the other charming comments the woman made) would be viewed that way in the context described here.

Only if this radical Christian group needed a permit of some sort to gather on campus in the particular location they chose, or if they caused a civil disturbance of some sort, would there be any sort of legal action that could be pursued against them (and this would be pursued by the police and not by you). But there is nothing that stops you from reporting the incident to the police (not that they will do anything about it, other than perhaps keep a closer eye on the group should they gather in the future).

Free speech does not only apply to "nice" speech. I agree with Zig that you should grow thicker skin (and you should DEFINITELY avoid any encounter with the bag lady who hangs out at State St. and Church St. in Ann Arbor, should you ever find yourself visiting that city).


(as a note: HawaiianBurger's rather blunt response to Zigner's post, which immediately preceded this post, was apparently deleted, as have been other responses made by HB in other threads)

 

[Antigone*]

Nothing that you have posted here, HawaiianBurger, would support a defamation suit against the woman who yelled at you (nor, Zig, would you have a suit against HawaiianBurger ).

When the word "whore" is used, it is almost always considered, in almost all contexts, rhetorical hyperbole. Certainly it (and the other charming comments the woman made) would be viewed that way in the context described here.

Only if this radical Christian group needed a permit of some sort to gather on campus in the particular location they chose, or if they caused a civil disturbance of some sort, would there be any sort of legal action that could be pursued against them (and this would be pursued by the police and not by you). But there is nothing that stops you from reporting the incident to the police (not that they will do anything about it, other than perhaps keep a closer eye on the group should they gather in the future).

Free speech does not only apply to "nice" speech. I agree with Zig that you should grow thicker skin (and you should DEFINITELY avoid encounters with the bag lady who hangs out at State St. and Church, should you ever visit Ann Arbor ).

LOL, quincy, does the bag lady at State St. & Church use such colorful metaphors with passers by?

 

[quincy]

Well, she has never called me a whore , but I am pretty danged sure from the epithets she has flung my way that she thinks I am going to hell nonetheless.

 

[Some Random Guy]

Bring your videotape to the attention of the University. If it is a private university, that group may be dis-invited from the campus. Otherwise, ask them if harassment and insulting of students is contrary to their hate speech policies.

This is not an issue for the police or a civil suit since, as other have pointed out, it is more of an opinion based unsult than something that is truly defamatory in the eyes of the law.

Hopefully you will encounter other Christians in your life who do not demonstate such un-Christianlike behavior.

 

[Antigone*]

Hopefully you will encounter other Christians in your life who do not demonstate such un-Christianlike behavior.

As evidenced by the OP's response to Zig.