For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers
The First Amendment
Responsible Writing
Trina L.C. Sonnenberg
Before you write about someone, whether you like them, or even know them personally, you must do research on your subject. Without proper research, you could unwittingly assert incorrect information, which could ultimately destroy the reputation of that person.
Trina L.C. Sonnenberg
Before you write about someone, whether you like them, or even know them personally, you must do research on your subject. Without proper research, you could unwittingly assert incorrect information, which could ultimately destroy the reputation of that person.
Many people think that the First Amendment of the Constitution gives everyone the right to say, or write whatever they like, but this is simply not true. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, requires that what is said/written be the truth, or at least the truth as you know it to be. Editorializing allows for opinion, but anything said/written and asserted as fact, must be fact, not supposition. So writing about someone, or speaking about them without fact behind your statements could get you in a world of hurt, legally.
I am going to use myself as an example. I have been slandered and libeled quite a bit lately, by a member of my own community. This person has alleged things about me that are complete fabrications. The person doing this does not know me, has never had a relationship with me, and has asserted things that are baseless and have damaged my reputation, at least locally, if not world wide, since one of the mediums that has been used is the Internet. Furthermore, this person alleges these things about me out of malice, which is another deflator of the First Amendment.
The person I am writing about has made public and private statements as to my integrity and my sanity. It is being said that I am a drug addict, specifically a meth addict. The reasons that this person claims to have come to this conclusion are pretty benign really, and medically explainable.
I am said to be a meth addict because I have lost weight and have a bad complexion. My goodness... If that is all it takes to be a drug addict, most high school girls would be addicts!
I have medical issues, and thank God I'm not dyeing of cancer or something, because that would really make this person look foolish, don't you think?
A couple of years ago, I decided that I wanted to lose some weight. I went on a diet, changing my eating habits to a more healthy mode. At this particular point in time, I was also being accidentally over medicated by my doctor, for a thyroid condition. In other words, the medication I was on was too strong, and reversed my hypo-thyroid into a hyper-thyroid. The weight I lost was primarily due to having a metabolism in overdrive.
I've kept the weight off over the last few years, due to the fact that I had changed my eating habits, as I said earlier.
Now, to my skin condition... I have had adult onset acne ever since I became pregnant with my second child, 11 years ago. I saw a dermatologist back then, and received topical medication for it that didn't work very well. I've just learned to cope with it. About six years ago, a doctor diagnosed me with the skin condition, Rosacea, which is another reason for my skin problems.
A third reason that I have been accused of doing drugs is that I am supposedly going bald. I think that is hilarious! I have long blond hair, as my photos clearly demonstrate, yet this person imagines that my hair is falling out.
The doctor told me that meth addicts do not lose their hair, they lose their teeth. As anyone can plainly see, I have all my own teeth and they are in wonderful condition.
So, this person has made a handful of uneducated assumptions about me, and asserted them as the truth to the world, in a misguided attempt at ruining my reputation. Not only that, but her verbal assertions have had the local rumor mill grinding out these same lies.
A word to the writers out there. Never write and disseminate anything about anyone unless you have cold hard facts to back up your statements. Even if your intentions are good, if you don't have your facts straight, you could very well destroy someone else's reputation, credibility, even their life. And I'm sure you don't want that on your hands, unless of course, you have no conscience.
Think about times you've heard of a relationship breaking up because someone said to someone else that one person was cheating.
I have medical conditions that explain what this person assumes is drug addiction. This person is not a medical professional, nor are they a professional in any capacity, but they go around telling people that they are an expert, or leading them to believe that they are. And, I'll say it again, they do not know me. They know who I am, and have dealt with me in an unfriendly capacity, but they have no idea who I am as a person; they are not privy to the goings on in my life, and they have never even bothered to ask.
If this person had actually wanted to write about me, they'd have done some research. However, if they'd done research on me, this is what they would've found:
Copyright © 2008
The Trii-Zine Ezine
http://www.ezines1.com/triizine
About the Author:
Trina L.C. Sonnenberg
Publisher - The Trii-Zine Ezine - Your Trusted Source for Internet Business and Marketing Information. EST 2001. ISSN# 1555-2276
Author of: My Journey A Lifetime of Verse, ISBN: 978-0-61516405-2
Co-Owner: Internet Marketing Mavens
http://internetmarketing-mavens.com
Keywords: First Amendment, free speech, slander, libel, writing, speaking, truth
I am going to use myself as an example. I have been slandered and libeled quite a bit lately, by a member of my own community. This person has alleged things about me that are complete fabrications. The person doing this does not know me, has never had a relationship with me, and has asserted things that are baseless and have damaged my reputation, at least locally, if not world wide, since one of the mediums that has been used is the Internet. Furthermore, this person alleges these things about me out of malice, which is another deflator of the First Amendment.
The person I am writing about has made public and private statements as to my integrity and my sanity. It is being said that I am a drug addict, specifically a meth addict. The reasons that this person claims to have come to this conclusion are pretty benign really, and medically explainable.
I am said to be a meth addict because I have lost weight and have a bad complexion. My goodness... If that is all it takes to be a drug addict, most high school girls would be addicts!
I have medical issues, and thank God I'm not dyeing of cancer or something, because that would really make this person look foolish, don't you think?
A couple of years ago, I decided that I wanted to lose some weight. I went on a diet, changing my eating habits to a more healthy mode. At this particular point in time, I was also being accidentally over medicated by my doctor, for a thyroid condition. In other words, the medication I was on was too strong, and reversed my hypo-thyroid into a hyper-thyroid. The weight I lost was primarily due to having a metabolism in overdrive.
I've kept the weight off over the last few years, due to the fact that I had changed my eating habits, as I said earlier.
Now, to my skin condition... I have had adult onset acne ever since I became pregnant with my second child, 11 years ago. I saw a dermatologist back then, and received topical medication for it that didn't work very well. I've just learned to cope with it. About six years ago, a doctor diagnosed me with the skin condition, Rosacea, which is another reason for my skin problems.
A third reason that I have been accused of doing drugs is that I am supposedly going bald. I think that is hilarious! I have long blond hair, as my photos clearly demonstrate, yet this person imagines that my hair is falling out.
The doctor told me that meth addicts do not lose their hair, they lose their teeth. As anyone can plainly see, I have all my own teeth and they are in wonderful condition.
So, this person has made a handful of uneducated assumptions about me, and asserted them as the truth to the world, in a misguided attempt at ruining my reputation. Not only that, but her verbal assertions have had the local rumor mill grinding out these same lies.
A word to the writers out there. Never write and disseminate anything about anyone unless you have cold hard facts to back up your statements. Even if your intentions are good, if you don't have your facts straight, you could very well destroy someone else's reputation, credibility, even their life. And I'm sure you don't want that on your hands, unless of course, you have no conscience.
Think about times you've heard of a relationship breaking up because someone said to someone else that one person was cheating.
I have medical conditions that explain what this person assumes is drug addiction. This person is not a medical professional, nor are they a professional in any capacity, but they go around telling people that they are an expert, or leading them to believe that they are. And, I'll say it again, they do not know me. They know who I am, and have dealt with me in an unfriendly capacity, but they have no idea who I am as a person; they are not privy to the goings on in my life, and they have never even bothered to ask.
If this person had actually wanted to write about me, they'd have done some research. However, if they'd done research on me, this is what they would've found:
I have no police record.My advice to everyone who plans to write or speak about another person is to actually read the First Amendment before trying to wrap yourself up in it, as this person has done. The First Amendment was not drafted to give people license to gossip. It was created to allow people access to the truth.
I am a published author.
I am a five year charter member of the International Council of Online Professionals (iCop).
I have been published in three different Who's Who registries for Executives and Professionals (2003 - 2008)
I've been a guest on the Marketing Antics, blogtalk radio show with Dr. Tony Marino.
I am a scam buster.
I am an Internet Marketing Expert.
I am a founding publisher of Quikonnex.com
I am a domestic violence advocate.
I have a lot to say.
Copyright © 2008
The Trii-Zine Ezine
http://www.ezines1.com/triizine
About the Author:
Trina L.C. Sonnenberg
Publisher - The Trii-Zine Ezine - Your Trusted Source for Internet Business and Marketing Information. EST 2001. ISSN# 1555-2276
Author of: My Journey A Lifetime of Verse, ISBN: 978-0-61516405-2
Co-Owner: Internet Marketing Mavens
http://internetmarketing-mavens.com
Keywords: First Amendment, free speech, slander, libel, writing, speaking, truth
Views: 15
Comment
Book Marketing Bestsellers
About
Recommended Website
Music
© 2024 Created by John Kremer.
Powered by
You need to be a member of The Book Marketing Network to add comments!
Join The Book Marketing Network