Onion cited by Texas Supreme Court

[Gothmog]

This is very funny. See http://www.supreme.courts.state.tx.us/historical/2004/sep/030019.htm
In footnote 7 to this opinion the court noted.
_______
For example, earlier this year, the Beijing Evening News, in a story written by Huang Ke, reported that Congress was threatening to bolt Washington, D.C. unless it got a new, modern Capitol building, complete with retractable roof. Daniel Terdiman, Onion Taken Seriously, Film at 11, Wired, April 14, 2004, at http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,63048,00.html (last visited Sept. 1, 2004 and available in Clerk of Court's file). Unfortunately, Ke's source for this information was The Onion, the satirical publication that bills itself as AAmerica's Finest News Source. Id. The Evening News later apologized but blamed The Onion, writing that some small American newspapers frequently fabricate offbeat news to trick people into noticing them with the aim of making money. Id. (quoting Beijing Evening News). According to Carol Kolb, Onion editor, "People every single day think The Onion stories are real." Id. One piece, called "Al-Qaida Allegedly Engaging in Telemarketing," prompted the Branch County, Michigan sheriff's department to issue an urgent press release warning of the purported practice. Id. In a similar vein, an article entitled "Chinese Woman Gives Birth to Septuplets: Has One Week to Choose" provoked prayer vigils on behalf of the six babies who would be rejected. Id. Additionally, Deborah Norville reported on MSNBC that more than half of all exercise done in the United States happens in TV infomercials for workout machines, a Astatistic@ obtained from an Onion article. Id.

[redqueen]

1. I can't believe these two wasted the court's time with this crap

It's called SATIRE you MORONS!

:grr:

[havocmom]

2. Onion is doing a public service by pointing out how gullible so many are.

Problem is not many of the gullible seem to learn from the experience of being fooled. Explains a lot about the state of the union.

[GiovanniC]

3. When I Was In School

Around fourth or fifth grade, we did creative writing and I remember one of my stories getting me into a bit of trouble, just like the kid in this case. Another kid and I were very competitive about writing stories in which almost all of the characters in the story meet an unfortunate demise. It was an exercise in imagination, because the teacher would give us a thing to write about, and we would do so, but then fit the untimely demise in at the end.

So for example, we would be assigned to write a story about a family taking a vaction and finding buried treasure. Other kids in the class would talk about how they went to an island, maybe fought pirates. Some would talk about them finding the money and what they bought with it. My friend and I wrote about how the family went on vacation, eventually found the treasure chest, axle on their car snaps because they're carrying too much gold, they start walking to a nearby gas station, father lights a cigarette, ashes fall on him and he catches on fire. They all run to the gas station to get help putting him out. KA-BLOOEY.

My teacher told my parents I was disturbed and needed help.

Obviously she was right.

[joeybee12]

4. Your stupid teacher is like a lot of them--she probably cut short many

a creative instinct in lots of kids.

Just be thankful you didn't write it today--in this day and age you'd be arrested!

[Gothmog]

5. The sad thing is that the case was affirmed by Ct. of appeals

This is a Texas supreme court decision that reverses the decision of both a trial court and the Dallas Court of Appeals. Both courts were going to send this case to trial to see if actual malice could be established.

The Texas Supreme Court is very very conservative but render the right decision in this case.

[GiovanniC]

6. Great Quote From The Article In Question

George W. Bush: "Zero tolerance means just that. We won't tolerate anything."