By: Editors [2007-08-16]

Letters, we get more letters

And they keep getting dumber

From: Blue Angel <XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX@XXXXXXXXX>
Subject: Things I hate website
To: creepykid1@yahoo.com; Editors@thingsIhate.org

Dear Mr. Foster:
   
It has come to my attention that someone is impersonating me on your webpage, "Things I hate, Alpha Delta Pi" .  I am the "BlueAngel" mentioned on your page, and the real BlueAngel in Greek Chat.
  
I never posted either one of those posts, and am extremely disturbed by them.  It's someone's cruel attempt to discredit my character to make it appear as if I am a dishonest an untrustworthy person who exposes other GLO's rituals.   As an officer of my sorority's alumnae group, I take this very attack very seriously.
  
This is libel and defammation of character.. and it's illegal.
  
There have been a number of legal precedents regarding internet defammation of character.  It will be easy to prove by a simple subpoena regarding the IP address of the poster impersonating me.
  
I kindly ask that you remove both posts in your "Things I hate" website immediately along with any mention of the BlueAngel name, or I will be forced to take legal action against you and the owner of the site. 
  
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
  
For your reference, the posts are as follows:
  
[Ed.: Snip: Bunch of comments from retarded college kids.]

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From: Sean <sean@thingsihate.org>
To: "Blue Angel" <XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX@XXXXXXXXX>
Subject: Re: Things I hate website

Dear "Blue Angel",

We're the operators of the website.  We're the ones you should be talking to if you want the comments removed.  Mr. Foster has nothing to do with them.

We apologize deeply; we didn't realize that you had exclusive use over the name "Blue Angel" on the internet.  (You must, right?  Neither of the two posts you cited actually mention anyone by name.)  And believe you me, we are chilled right down to the very marrow of our bones to think that one day the name "Blue Angel" won't mean what it once did after being subjected to such libel and "defammation" of character, and breathe a collective sigh of relief to know that the law now covers ones internet nickname being tarnished.

We recommend you go after this comment-posting scumbag with all your legal guns blazin'.  Since carrying out the subpoena is such a "simple" affair, we'll just wait to receive the proper paperwork, so we can be sure we're going through the correct channels here.

Believe you me, Blue Angel, we are fully on your side here, and not the side of this comment-posting douchebag.  Why, just take a look at section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (http://www.fcc.gov/Reports/tcom1996.txt), which places us firmly on the side of the good guys :

"[no] provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider," and "[n]o cause of action may be brought and no liability may be imposed under any State or local law that is inconsistent with this section."

In reference to that, in "Universal Communication Systems v. Lycos", the First Circuit Court has affirmed that:

"Congress intended that, within broad limits, message board operators would not be held responsible for the postings made by others on that board. No amount of artful pleading can avoid that result."

So let's get the wheels of justice rollin', Blue Angel.  And if anyone laughs at you, claims that maybe you're talking out of your ass with your legal threats and "simple subpoenas," or disagrees with you on the definition (and spelling) of "defammation" of character, you just send them our way, and we'll straighten 'em out.

You know, ordinarily when something like this happens, people email us with normal, polite requests to remove the comment, acting like decent human beings instead of making demands and half-assed legal threats -- and we delete them immediately because we're sympathetic people who wouldn't like it if some comment-posting dirtbag was masquerading as us on the internet.  But we admire your tough-as-nails legal approach. You have really shown everyone who's boss.  However, if you find yourself pressed for time, or not 100% sure of your legal right to the name "Blue Angel" on the internet, or would rather just have the comments deleted quickly, you could always try the "ask like a polite and decent person instead of making threats and demands" approach.

xoxo,

Sean


From: Blue Angel <XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX@XXXXXXXXX>
Subject: Re: Things I hate website
To: Sean <sean@thingsihate.org>

---------------------------------
Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story.
Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games.

[Ed.  Yes.  She replied to us with a completely empty email.]
Right. [2007-08-16 01:12:28] Antwan
More hate mail. Great. Whatever. Look back at the last page. Only a few hours after I said his name, Biscuit showed up AND BROUGHT THE BLACK STRIKE OUT OF DEATH WITH HIM. If that's not an urban legend in the works then I don't know what is.
this is defecation of character [2007-08-16 03:48:25] casey
I am not writing this post, nor have I ever
So right. [2007-08-16 08:14:26] The_Cheat
I'M BLUE ANGEL AND I'M A DIRTY WH--
Hey, HB came back!
What a bunch of retards [2007-08-16 10:40:42] Wyatt
it's pretty fucking sad that a bunch of Greek geeks are so inflamed over revelation of their gay rituals that they'd keep returning to a single post on thingsihate for FOUR YEARS after it was originally posted.

Can I get a "who gives a fuck?"

Clearly, part of the initiation ritual involves a prefrontal lobotomy, since none of those idiots seem to realize that their posts and emails do nothing but make them look ever more the fools.
~it needs ~ [2007-08-16 23:43:39] perfktMperfktshn
...more cowbell...
~and ~ [2007-08-16 23:44:47] perfktMperfktshn
..who gives a fuck..
no zirealism this week [2007-08-19 13:27:50] posthumous
I'm mourning Elvis
Elvis [2007-08-19 18:12:16] Antwan
I wish that you would mourn Elvis every week.
hypocrite [2007-08-19 20:03:17] posthumous
you don't even believe that Elvis is dead.
a little late [2007-08-26 05:23:55] posthumous
but there will be a zirealism unless whatshisname posted an early monday article.
Oh boy [2007-08-26 08:11:00] Antwan
What subliminal homo-erotic subtext will you regail us with this week?
I don't get it! [2007-08-29 19:58:10] Hieronymous Biscuit
Where's TKE all the while?
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