If You Get Shot, You Don't Get To Blame Craigslist For Hosting An Ad For The Gun Dealer Where The Shooter Bought The Gun
from the wow dept
We've discussed in the past what we refer to as "Steve Dallas lawsuits." The name comes from an old Bloom County comic strip (which to date, I've been unable to find online, but recall pretty clearly in my head -- but, uh, internet help me out -- can anyone find a copy of this strip? -- see update below), following a storyline where the character Steve Dallas is punched out by actor Sean Penn for trying to take Penn's photo. In the strip, Dallas (a lawyer) discusses who to sue for his injuries from the attack. He rules out most of the obvious candidates for one reason or another (including Penn), before finally settling on the manufacturer of his camera (if I remember correctly, it was Nikon) for failing to put a warning label on the camera, that taking pictures of celebrities may lead to them beating you up. The point: you always sue some big company, no matter how tangentially related to the case, because they're the ones with the money. Update: The punchout storyline begins here, and the actual "who to sue" comic was printed a couple months later here. My memory was slightly off. It wasn't "Nikon" but the company was the made up name "Nikolta" (a mix of Nikon and Minolta, I guess). Still, pretty good memory for something that was printed 23 years ago. Thanks for the help in the comments finding it!Hence, "Steve Dallas lawsuits." However, in all of the past such lawsuits we've discussed around here, I don't think I've ever seen one that was as big a stretch as this one. A guy who got shot sued Craigslist, because apparently the shooter bought his gun from a gun dealer who advertised on Craigslist. Think about that for a second. At this point we're already twice removed from a reasonable defendant. Could you make an argument against the gun dealer? Even that seems like a stretch (though I'm not all that familiar with gun laws these days). But to go even further and blame Craigslist? That seems preposterous. And, thankfully, the court agreed. It quickly tossed out the lawsuit on Section 230 safe harbors, but you have to wonder if that was even needed, given the fact that Craigslist had nothing at all to do with the shooting.
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Filed Under: blame, section 230, shooting
Companies: craigslist
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Fees....
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Re: Fees....
What we need is some method to discourage frivolous (read: stupid, absurd, etc.) lawsuits. The above is just one way. I would go so far as to make it criminal. Lawyers won't help you sue if they can go to jail for it!
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Re: Fees....
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The Guilty Party...
The Internet.
If it weren't for THE INTERNET, there would have been no Craigslist.
Who Invented the Internet? (say Gore and I stab you).
The GUB'MENT.
So, this clearly should be a lawsuit against the United States of America.
And last time I checked, they have deeper pockets than Craigslist.
CBMHB
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Re: The Guilty Party...
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Re: The Guilty Party...
Yeah, but they've got guns too! Gotta be careful who you try to shake down!
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Re: Re: The Guilty Party...
Besides which, I'm not sure that the premise is even true. Aren't they/we/you/me/dammit a couple trillion in the hole?
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Re: Re: Re: The Guilty Party...
Difference is, the gov't can always print more. Just makes mine/yours/ours worth less.
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Re:
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Sue U
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If you have to explain it, it won't stick.
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in other news
Shooting = Piracy
Shooter = Some kid at uni
Craigslist = The Pirate Bay
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The world is full of Homer Simpsons.
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Re:
In the US, I'm afraid that would tend to turn lawsuits into wars of attrition. Whoever had the most money to last the longest and put on the best show would often win and then force the poorer looser to pay for everything (again, like the spoils of war). The best "justice" money can buy. But maybe UK courts aren't as biased towards the wealthy in the first place as US courts are.
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chain lawsuits
I am gonna start committing crimes if all the lawsuits target things above me. I get away with my loot while my mother/boss/landlord gets stuck with the bill!
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Re: chain lawsuits
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you're welcome
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And this one time...
So... I'm going to sue the band camp, the school that advertised the bandcamp, the company that printed the flyer that was sent to the school about the bandcamp, the company that makes the ink, that the printer used to make the flyer... the company who made the instruments at bandcamp... can't forget those. Oh... and the company that makes the CASES for the intruments at band camp. Must sue all of the counsellors at band camp. And the company that printed up those ridiculous STAFF T-shirts they wear... and the maker of the CAPS that they wore too!
Hmm... forget anyone?
Sadly, this is just an example of a soceity of people who REFUSE to accept personal responsibility for ANYTHING. It's sad, because that's the main reason this country is in decline. By refusing to accept responsibility, we give away our power to everyone else.
YOU CONTROL YOUR LIFE. As soon as you say you don't, you've stopped being "the boss of you" and you give that power to someone else.
Time to take back personal power and personal responsibility for our lives and what WE'VE done with our lives and the consequences of the actions that WE'VE taken.
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Re: And this one time...
Yes, yourself! That "bad stuff" wouldn't have happened if you hadn't gone to that camp in the first place. What were you thinking? I bet you weren't, were you? And I wouldn't be surprised if you were walking in a "certain way" that made the "bad stuff" more likely to happen, too.
ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY!!! YOU CONTROL YOUR LIFE!!!
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Re: Re: And this one time...
ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY!!! YOU CONTROL YOUR LIFE!!!
That's right, kiddies. If someone does "bad stuff" to you, then it's your own fault, so be sure an keep quiet about it. Don't ever tell anyone else, keep it secret, or you'll get in trouble. And always remember...
IT'S YOUR OWN FAULT!!!
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Remember the Coffee-mo!!
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Re: Remember the Coffee-mo!!
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You are wrong. Even if there is no rule or regulation (which I bet there is), there is an expectation that coffee will not be so hot as to cause almost instant third degree burns if it is spilled in our laps. The manager of that franchise knew exactly what he was doing, had been called on it before, but continued to keep the coffee hotter "than normal" because it lasted longer, meaning they didn't have to remake it as often.
The lady only asked for her medical bills to be paid, a very reasonable request in light of the ACTUAL facts.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Remember the Coffee-mo!!
Facts? We don't need no stinkin' facts!
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Re: Re: Remember the Coffee-mo!!
So... here's what we're left with:
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Bloom County Sean Penn Storyline
http://www.gocomics.com/bloomcounty/1986/04/16/
Manually increment the date, or else you'll trigger the archive script. Enjoy!
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Re: Bloom County Sean Penn Storyline
http://www.gocomics.com/bloomcounty/1986/04/16/
Hmm. But where the one where he discusses suing? I'm going through and not finding it...
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Re: Re: Bloom County Sean Penn Storyline
http://www.gocomics.com/bloomcounty/1986/06/22/
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Re: Re: Re: Bloom County Sean Penn Storyline
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Someone PLEASE Think of the Lawyers!
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Time to Sue
As iGoogle leads me to Techdirt and IE is my browser and DELL made my monitor and Subaru (Toyota Corp) made the car I drove to work. AND Al Gore for the whole internet.
Boy am I going to be rich
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Re: Time to Sue
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Also Subaru financing is through Toyota.
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Really? No matter what? In ancient Greece the jury had the power to fine the plaintiff, which sounds better to me.
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well...
but there really is a big blame-craigslist movement that doesn't need to exist. and naturally, the anti-gun nuts.
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Please
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