Reply: *What's the Joke ?*  is a very good question.  Whenever persons wtih disabilities are joked about  - if this is a joke [again, the questions are key human rights ones.

 

A judge did say "parody" (?) and Pepperdine Law Review writes "satire" (as to the author). Those of us - and many have, too many - battled terrible pain *do not get it.*  But we are now I think ethically bound to prevent more distress to pain sufferers based on this sort of misrepresentation.

 

Best wishes, LDMF, Dr. L. D. Misek-Falkoff
 
P.S. We will look at the actual case and others here with interest in both the civil and criminal case/court/law contexts as to how people with disabilities are characterized, and then can ourselves hope to be part of disabusing abuses:

 

 
New Discussion: http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/disab-defam-disc
Ongoing:  http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/picture-it-at-the_UN
 

----- Original Message -----

 a message dated 8/2/2004 8:00:08 AM Eastern Standard Time, include@... writes:

In this instance, a court decided this was mischaracterizing "parody" (joke, however, not  explained) and dismissed a defamation and related claims by granting first amendment privilege in reportage. Key for us is that it was indeed held to be mischaracterizing.