Thursday, March 11, 2004

Aaron McGruder:
"I don't like Condoleezza Rice because of her politics. I don't like Condoleezza Rice because she's part of this oil cabal that's now in the White House. I don't like her because she's a murderer. You know, I'm not bound by the rules of a politician or journalist. So, you know, when I say, 'She's a murderer,' it's because she's a murderer, and that's all that's necessary for me to make those statements."
You know, I think this technically passes muster as slander. No "I believe that...", no "I think that...", no qualifiers, weasel words... no references to the indirect policies that have resulted in what McGruder considers a murder... If I had ever heard of an actual successful American prosecution for slander, I'd recommend that Rice bring a case against him. The only thing I can think of which exculpates McGruder is that Rice is a public figure, and the courts are generally hostile to libel and slander suits brought against speech aimed at public figures.

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