On the Michelangelo Signorile's blog, The Gist, it is being reported that NOM is threatening Louis Marinelli with legal action if Marinelli does not cease writing about his conversion to marriage equality and the true, nasty nature of NOM and its religious extremist masters. I hope that Marinelli doesn't knuckle under to Brian Brown's threats of legal action - especially if Marinelli can document his allegations. Brown's huffing and puffing are reminiscent of an encounter I had a few years back with ex-gay snake oil merchant Stephen Bennett who was linking to bogus research by Paul Cameron and similar patently false Christianist anti-gay propaganda. When I called him out, Bennett threatened to have his lawyers sue me, etc., for defamation. My response? PLEASE SUE ME! I advised Bennett that (1) truth is an absolute defense to a defamation suit and (2) absolutely nothing would make me happier than having a trial and ultimately a reported court decision finding that the information Bennett was peddling was false. Suddenly, Bennett's tone changed and he backed down and said via e-mail (I still have the e-mail exchange) it was all a misunderstanding and that he had not been aware of the false information on his website. My advice to Marinelli? Tell, Brian Brown "I'll see you in court." Here are highlights from The Gist:*
[H]e [Marinelli] said that NOM president Brian Brown (photo, left) has privately been using intimidation tactics and legal threats against him since he left, demanding he remove some of his critical blog posts (even though NOM, in its damage control of the defection, has tried to claim Marinelli was not very influential in their organization, which is obviously a lie.)
*
“…I’ve received a message or two from Brian, who basically has – he’s trying to intimidate me to stop talking. He’s saying that if I don’t remove the posts I’ve posted on my site and I don’t stop telling the truth about who they are he may pursue legal action…I considered it an intimidation tactic…On two occasions he wrote me a message saying if I don’t comply with his wish that I remove certain posts from the site…that he would have no option but to pass it on to his attorneys and pursue legal action...”
*
Marinelli also discussed NOM's "propaganda teams" to do dirty work of smearing opponents but distancing it from NOM. We talked as well about NOM's true religious agenda though the the group tries to claim it is not driven by religious ideology on homosexuality, NOM's funding sources and the lack of enthusiasm on NOM's side among supporters.
*
To listen to the interview, go to The Gist.
[H]e [Marinelli] said that NOM president Brian Brown (photo, left) has privately been using intimidation tactics and legal threats against him since he left, demanding he remove some of his critical blog posts (even though NOM, in its damage control of the defection, has tried to claim Marinelli was not very influential in their organization, which is obviously a lie.)
*
“…I’ve received a message or two from Brian, who basically has – he’s trying to intimidate me to stop talking. He’s saying that if I don’t remove the posts I’ve posted on my site and I don’t stop telling the truth about who they are he may pursue legal action…I considered it an intimidation tactic…On two occasions he wrote me a message saying if I don’t comply with his wish that I remove certain posts from the site…that he would have no option but to pass it on to his attorneys and pursue legal action...”
*
Marinelli also discussed NOM's "propaganda teams" to do dirty work of smearing opponents but distancing it from NOM. We talked as well about NOM's true religious agenda though the the group tries to claim it is not driven by religious ideology on homosexuality, NOM's funding sources and the lack of enthusiasm on NOM's side among supporters.
*
To listen to the interview, go to The Gist.
No comments:
Post a Comment