7 ms·

So the question is: Did they rule for Elon because of some legal technicality? Or was it because of the exorbitant defamation claim? Or was it because Elon w

So the question is: Did they rule for Elon because of some legal technicality? Or was it because of the exorbitant defamation claim? Or was it because Elon was correct in his claim?

gbronner 7y ago
Because it "pedo guy" is an insult, which is protected speech.
- purple_ducks 7y ago
  MMmmm. Would have thought that was not a defense for him seeing as he then went on to call him a child rapist: > “I suggest that you call people you know in Thailand, find out what’s actually going on and stop defending child rapists, you fucking asshole,” Musk wrote in the first message. “He’s an old, single white guy from England who’s been traveling to or living in Thailand for 30 to 40 years, mostly Pattaya Beach, until moving to Chiang Rai for a child bride who was about 12 years old at the time.” https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/elon-musk-thai-cave-rescuer-accusations-buzzfeed-email https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/elon-musk-thai-...
  - gbronner 7y ago
    Musk apparently hired an 'investigator' who turned out to be a conman who came up with this tidbit. He had no actual knowledge that the guy wasn't a child rapist, and he did use reasonable care to verify his "facts", so it wasn't willful defamation.
    - foldr 7y ago
      >and he did use reasonable care to verify his "facts" No, he made the claim before he hired the investigator.
      - DuskStar 7y ago
        Which claim? The one with specifics like the age of his child bride? Or the "pedo guy" tweet?
        foldr 7y ago
        Both, I believe.
    - purple_ducks 7y ago
      > He had no actual knowledge that the guy wasn't a child rapist What?! I can't even.. More importantly, he had no actual knowledge that the guy _was_ a child rapist
WalterBright 7y ago
I would have ruled for Elon simply because the plaintiff started by telling Elon to stick his submarine where it hurts. You don't really get to initiate crude insults and then cry to the courts when you get one back in kind.
- IshKebab 7y ago
  There's quite a difference between a diver insulting Musk's submarine, and Musk, who is famous and has millions of loyal followers, calling him a paedophile.
  - WalterBright 7y ago
    No there isn't. Men trade insults like that all the time.
    - variaga 7y ago
      In your experience men publicly declare (in writing) that other men are pedophiles and child rapists who only move to Thailand to have sex with 11-year-olds "all the time"? Where do you live so I can make sure to never visit there.
      - WalterBright 7y ago
        May I interest you in seeing the movie "Gran Torino"? Granted, it is a movie, but it wouldn't be funny if there wasn't truth to it.
        variaga 7y ago
        I've seen it. If you're referring to the barbershop scene, yes, it does have two men who have a long-established friendship insulting each other - and then when an unknown (to the barber) 3rd party uses the _exact_same_language_ the barber pulls a gun on him. The lesson you should take from that scene is that what might be acceptable banter between friends is not acceptable public discourse with strangers. Actual dialog (https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Gran-Torino.html https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Gran-Torino.html): WALT Jesus Christ, Tao, you don't walk in and insult a guy. What are you, an idiot? TAO But... but that's what you said. That's what you said men say. WALT Not if you never met the guy. If you say that shit to the wrong stranger, they'll blow your goddamned ---- head off!

So the question is: Did they rule for Elon because of some legal technicality? Or was it because of the exorbitant defamation claim? Or was it because Elon was correct in his claim?

gbronner 7y ago

Because it "pedo guy" is an insult, which is protected speech.

purple_ducks 7y ago
MMmmm. Would have thought that was not a defense for him seeing as he then went on to call him a child rapist: > “I suggest that you call people you know in Thailand, find out what’s actually going on and stop defending child rapists, you fucking asshole,” Musk wrote in the first message. “He’s an old, single white guy from England who’s been traveling to or living in Thailand for 30 to 40 years, mostly Pattaya Beach, until moving to Chiang Rai for a child bride who was about 12 years old at the time.” https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/elon-musk-thai-cave-rescuer-accusations-buzzfeed-email https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/elon-musk-thai-...
- gbronner 7y ago
  Musk apparently hired an 'investigator' who turned out to be a conman who came up with this tidbit. He had no actual knowledge that the guy wasn't a child rapist, and he did use reasonable care to verify his "facts", so it wasn't willful defamation.
  - foldr 7y ago
    >and he did use reasonable care to verify his "facts" No, he made the claim before he hired the investigator.
    - DuskStar 7y ago
      Which claim? The one with specifics like the age of his child bride? Or the "pedo guy" tweet?
      - foldr 7y ago
        Both, I believe.
  - purple_ducks 7y ago
    > He had no actual knowledge that the guy wasn't a child rapist What?! I can't even.. More importantly, he had no actual knowledge that the guy _was_ a child rapist

WalterBright 7y ago

I would have ruled for Elon simply because the plaintiff started by telling Elon to stick his submarine where it hurts. You don't really get to initiate crude insults and then cry to the courts when you get one back in kind.

IshKebab 7y ago
There's quite a difference between a diver insulting Musk's submarine, and Musk, who is famous and has millions of loyal followers, calling him a paedophile.
- WalterBright 7y ago
  No there isn't. Men trade insults like that all the time.
  - variaga 7y ago
    In your experience men publicly declare (in writing) that other men are pedophiles and child rapists who only move to Thailand to have sex with 11-year-olds "all the time"? Where do you live so I can make sure to never visit there.
    - WalterBright 7y ago
      May I interest you in seeing the movie "Gran Torino"? Granted, it is a movie, but it wouldn't be funny if there wasn't truth to it.
      - variaga 7y ago
        I've seen it. If you're referring to the barbershop scene, yes, it does have two men who have a long-established friendship insulting each other - and then when an unknown (to the barber) 3rd party uses the _exact_same_language_ the barber pulls a gun on him. The lesson you should take from that scene is that what might be acceptable banter between friends is not acceptable public discourse with strangers. Actual dialog (https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Gran-Torino.html https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Gran-Torino.html): WALT Jesus Christ, Tao, you don't walk in and insult a guy. What are you, an idiot? TAO But... but that's what you said. That's what you said men say. WALT Not if you never met the guy. If you say that shit to the wrong stranger, they'll blow your goddamned ---- head off!