It is absolutely absurd to call this a “freedom of speech” issue.
Mature people understand there are consequences for their actions.

Not a freedom of speech issue at all in my opinion, if they don’t ultimately reveal the blogger to the world. This woman has a right to fight back.

Emmabliss – unfortunately, the court – or the NY Post (not sure which) – did reveal her name. See my follow-up post: http://blog.beliefnet.com/everydayethics/2009/08/skanks-in-nyc-blogger-unmasked-as-29-year-old-rosemary-port-liskula-cohen-can-rest-easy-now-but-maybe-the-rest-of-us-should-start-worrying.html
Perhaps it’s part of the legal code that all court decisions be public record, and it was naive of me to think otherwise.

Freedom of speech is necessarily curtailed by prohibitions against libel or slander.

For Lynn and others who think that it’s fine to “hold people accountable for their actions”, I presume you have never said anything about anybody that they would ever take offence to. I’m sure you also wouldn’t mind giving everyone your real name and real address so people can hold you “accountable” for everything you will ever write or say.
Of course this is a Freedom of Speech issue, if for no other reason than she was being attacked for something she wrote. Slander, libel etc are checks on Freedom of Speech. By definition, every such case is a speech issue.
This case shouldn’t have even gotten out of the starting blocks. First off, it is purely opinion and clearly Protected Speech. It’s like saying “The NY Mets: Skankiest losers in NYC.” Oops, will they now sue me?
What is Cohen suing for? Hurt feelings? Wahhhh!!! One person writes a blog perhaps 6 people read and she gets to sue for damages? Might as well sue somebody who said something bad about you at a bus stop. And what did this woman she say that requires her public unmasking and possible libel suit?
“Ageing”? Well, a 36 year old might as well be 66 in the modelling profession.
“Skank/ho/slut etc”? She’s a model. The modelling industry makes the porn industry look like a Mennonite colony.
This just in: Gravity sues blogger for claiming “Gravity makes things fall when you let go of them.”

Models should be appreciated as the goddesses they are. I am going to start Hurt Models Fund to make sure they are taken care of after someone says something mean. Its probably the first time they have been offended.

I agree with sedate me on this. It’s too little a concern as compared to all the other bull shit people say on the internet. I can google any famous person right now and find someone saying some condescending shit towards them. That’s what the internet is for, to be anonymous. It may not be ethically right to insult someone on the internet but it isn’t ethically right to void someones privacy rights.

Hello bloggers,
I was quite disappointed by many of the comments, particularly when posted in a venue that purports to promote healthy lives based on spirituality, comfort, hope, clarity, strength, and happiness. Maybe the one attribute missing from the mission is “charity”, which is the old-fashioned word for “love”….. and by love I mean the absolutely unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial love that we are called to demonstrate to our neighbor. The definition of neighbor was eloquently defined by the Lord Jesus Christ in his parable about the Good Samaritan. Our neighbor is the person who we don’t know, as much as the person we do know. Case in point, our neighbor is Ms. Liskula Cohen.
I was a little perplexed by some of the comments and opinions expressed in this blog topic. I personally had 20 years worth of building a respectable reputation utterly destroyed at the hands of one focused and malicious blogger. As a result; and praise be to God, I was able to turn adversity into opportunity and now work full-time helping those who cannot help themselves that are under the barrage of 24 hour, seven-day a week, electronic assaults. Although I am able to scratch out a living with some paying corporate customers; more times than not the victims of Internet libel are so financially, emotionally, and often spiritually bankrupt that they cannot pay anybody to help with the problem. And unless they have significantly more than rudimentary skills in technology, they are pretty much without hope. I believe that for now, the skills and gifts I have been given to help these people is my mission and my calling. I am so sure of this that I can confidently state that many of the opinions expressed in this topic are simply wrong, this is evidenced by the fact that what I’m doing is a response to a very real calling, as opposed to something that I want to be doing. I would much rather be working in a normal job where I do not have to talk people out of suicide, or deal with the antisocial, backbiting, smear campaigners that I hunt down. If free speech is absolute, then my calling is not real; my assurance of this evidenced by the numerous people that have encouraged me to continue in the cause.
I am all for free speech, but not if the cost of that speech falls on the shoulders of an innocent victim. As such, if you know that a convicted child molester has moved into a neighborhood, by all means ring the bells, canvass the neighborhood and blog until your heart is content. But, do not dare to suggest to me that all speech is free and that you cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs. At least, not until you have personally had to walk the fiery trial that I have walked, and that Liskula Cohen has walked. The problem with this 21st-century pandemic of Internet libel, is that until somebody has personally experienced the heartache and debilitating effects on one’s career and relationships, they really have no idea how bad it is. Unless maybe someone they love has experienced it.
In a nutshell, somebody who depends on the reputation to maintain profitable and fulfilling relationships, whether that be business, friendships, sporting, or anything else; an Internet smear campaign can be as devastating to them as a farmer who has all his crops and livestock burnt and slaughtered by a vandal.
King Solomon wrote that “even a fools are perceived as wise if they keep their mouth shut.” I’m not suggesting we don’t post comments about these topics, I’m just suggesting you give it more thought before commenting. Furthermore, I think Solomon also wrote “a fool judges a matter before hearing it.” I am guessing that if you spent 30 minutes with Ms. Cohen or any other Internet libel victim you would have a much better perspective from which to comment.
Very respectfully submitted by,
Michael Roberts of http://www.Rexxfield.com
PS. For those that suggested that modeling is not an honorable profession, I would ask that you be more careful before speaking generally. All good things are subject to corruption and have both good and bad examples. If your concern is about fashion and beauty, I hope you do not support 70% of the advertisers displayed on this page including cosmetics, teeth whitening, handbags, and all the other vanity items that are randomly displayed.
Furthermore, on the vanity issue; I made a vow to my wife on our wedding day to honor her, but that vow didn’t go into great detail as to what it meant. One way I honor her is by running daily, staying fit and strong, and getting my haircut regularly. Is that vanity? On the flipside, I love it when my wife dolls herself up, dons a pretty dress, and uses the vanity products advertised on this page. We are dearly and completely in love with each other, and that would endure even if gained weight and let my hair grow into a mop, and if she didn’t wear makeup. Notwithstanding, God gave us many wonderful and beautiful things, the pinnacle of His creation are His daughters, men are dust refined (Adam), and woman is dust doubly refined! Why did he make you gals so beautiful? And why did he wire us (men) to appreciate that beauty? Remember, everything He made was “good”, if he made sunsets, gold, rubies and butterflies, for no other reason than to take our breath away, then why is it so bad for some women to “model” samples of cosmetics, lingerie, and other products that will help you take your husband’s breath away?
Okay….. that’s it for me …. will put away my soapbox now.

Google is a russian owned and russian principaled company. As Americans please do not allow Google or any other company to invade our lives and destroy us from inside out. Do not let Google drive down our streets and harvest our personal information from our homes and photograph our neighborhoods and homes with their Google spy rigged cars. Do not allow Google to allow anonymous malicious bloggers who are using their services for free to stalk and harass innocent citizens. Google knows exactly what they are doing and they should be responsible. But Google is not responsible so we need to make Google act in a responsible way or shut them down. Google thinks that we as citizens cannot do such a thing but I know that my fellow Americans will and can react to their subversive activities. Google has a serach engine but it is the dirty cannabalism that goes on behind there simpla facade that is the most damaging. The results are paid for. The Google results are corrupted by money to say the least. Google employees are brainwashed into complicity to these unspeakable violation into our lives. Google is about raping us all for our info and money and our freedom.