Re: [APD] Free speech

[Stuart R Scott <sscott255 at comcast_net>]

I have to totally agree with Robert Hudson's take on this. I personally 
got involved early on in the defense fund. I personally donated, got two 
Aquarium Societies to donate and was responsible for prodding other 
personal donations. I then posted  defense fund links on my website and 
two aquarium society sites that I managed.  One morning I received a 
registered letter  which was basically a "cease and desist order"  
stating that I had 30 days to reply and remove the banners or I would be 
added to the  list of defendants. I spoke with John Benn and he said 
that as he had just been added to the list of defendants, he felt he 
should not get involved.

That was a sobering moment. I had to decide whether my "ethical stand" 
supporting the defense fund was  worth investing a couple of thousand 
dollars up front with a  lawyer. I had to further decide whether it was 
worth exposing my family's financial well being and also the well being 
of two aquarium societies. I decided that is was not worth the price to 
continue. I was unhappy with my decision as I hated backing down on 
something I believed was a free speech principle but considering the 
alternatives I felt and feel now that I made the right choice.

Scotty 

Robert H wrote:

>>>It is not rare to see negative comments about vendors on other planted
>>>      
>>>
>aquarium web sites.  Positive comments, too.<<
>
>Oh really? Common Bill, what sites are you talking about? Sure, you can 
>still read a few comments here and there, and some product reviews, but 
>rarely someone totally berrating a company. If you don't think the lawsuit 
>had a a huge impact in our little world, then you are kidding yourself. All 
>I am saying is the experience was one of lessons learned and not just out of 
>fear of being sued but of taking responsibility. And I have talked to more 
>than one defendant that feels the same way.  Nobody likes or defends the 
>plantiff, but things got way out of hand and kept going and going and going 
>like the everready bunny, and I wish I never got involved. It cost me my job 
>in California, it prevented me from buying a house to take care of my 
>Mother, it prevented me from financing my business, paying certain debts not 
>to mention what it cost me in the end. And for what? Not minding my own 
>business? What good came out of it for anybody? Was anybodys rights 
>protected in the end?  I still support everyone that was involved and I 
>still believe we were right, but so much pain could have been avoided if 
>people saw the big picture and put an end to it before it went out of 
>control.
>
>And there were some people back in 2001 who saw this. I remember Steve 
>Pushak said it would be in APDs best interest not to allow such things to 
>happen. I ranked on him by private email for not defending the people 
>involved. I wish he was still on this list so I could apologize to him.
>
>Robert Hudson
>www.aquabotanic.com
>
>
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>
>
>  
>
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