It's Not Libel if It's True
Reader comment on item: Why Is CAIR Suing Anti-CAIR?

Submitted by Steven Bryant (United States), Apr 6, 2004 at 13:41

CAIR may also have miscalculated for another reason. As every lawyer practicing in this area knows, in the U.S. the truth is an absolute defense to a suit for libel or slander. In other words, a statement isn't actionable if it's true.

From what I know of CAIR, the allegedly libelous statements made by Anti-CAIR are all true--and unremarkably true at that. CAIR's senior leadership has claimed to want to impose a Wahhabist theocracy in the U.S. Certain of its officers and associates have been linked to terrorism. And, its funding sources are, at best, murky.

Simply put, CAIR is not some Muslim NAACP. The sunlight of aggressive discovery and some willingness by lazy, liberal reporters to probe a little deeper into CAIR and its activities could eventually reveal this to a wider public.

CAIR may rue the day they filed this suit.

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