Posted by farid from customer-148-233-78-77.uninet.net.mx (148.233.78.77) on Sunday, June 08, 2003 at 2:07PM :
...that the email someone placed here signed by Pepe Baez, the TV host on the Cablenews show that spread the story about an Eye-Raqi terrist...was not appreciated by Mr. Baez.
I donīt know who did it...and wouldnīt say if I did...but I think it made a good point. When I asked Mr. Baez why they had aired a story such as they did about me...he said they only did it because Fartman brought in "documents"...by which he meant the emails attributed to me.
I wonder what the difference between what they did and what whoever placed the email signed by Baez tried to prove. There is no way of being certain who sends an email when it comes from one of several internet cafes down here...or anywhere else. Anyone can create a hotmail address and send whatever messages under whoeverīs name they want to.
Baez had no way of knowing at the time that Fartman or his associates didnīt generate those emails...and sign my name to them. He didnīt know that for sure until he asked me...and being an honest guy, I addmitted it...though I added that it was a hoax played out on the people I was certain were reading AND just as likely to do similar things...as they have since.
What if I were to take the email signed "Pepe Baez" over to his competition...or someone who had an axe to grind...what if that person chose to honor this "document" and ran with the story? The email message was patently absurd...Iīm certain no one believes Baez wants to kill Mickey...rape Minnie and roast Donald. But it COULD have been more credible...it could have purported to have been sent by an ex-lover...or business partner...or molested child.
The Press are given a certain latitude in most Democracies because we value the free flow of information. We would all like to believe that the information in question is legitimate...and the only way to play by those rules is to make some minimal effort to check on sources. All Baez had to do was contact me...at the same address, and ask if I had sent the emails. Had I denied it...he still could have aired the spot, figuring I lied about it...but at least he would have made the effort.
Instead I was defamed by someone who is out to get us any way he can...my familiyīs privacy was invaded, my car was shown on television with the lie that it had been impounded by the authorities because I was running people and animals over...when it was over a traffic accident with a bus, and even that wasnīt handled properly.
Mistakes happen, of course...and I have to hand it to Baezīs station, they do allow a person to appear and refute any charge...something that never happens in North America...not unless you are "somebody" or more money can be generated by playing "fair".
I donīt expect anyone to change their policies because of this...but it should make all of us realize how vulnerable all of us are if emails are to be considered legitimate documents.
I apologize to Mr. Baez and his station and fans...and if I ever catch whoever posted that thing Iīll...Iīll...well, Iīll do something.
-- farid
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