AlterNet Takes on Shock Jock Michael Savage and Gets Threatened With a Lawsuit

By Don Hazen and Tana Ganeva, AlterNet. Posted June 10, 2009.

Then, on May 27, I woke up unable to log into my personal Facebook account. It was disabled. I lost all my photos, friends and priceless memories. I sent multiple e-mails to Facebook without any response. And then upon inquiring, I found out that the "Don't Drink Hate. BOYCOTT ROCKSTAR" Facebook group was coincidentally also suddenly taken down without my or any of the administrators' knowledge.

Tsai was then treated to a letter from Rockstar's lawyers similar to the one sent to AlterNet, telling him to issue an apology. Here are parts of Tsai's statement:

I've been forced to make "an immediate public retraction..." and "apologize for the business libel you committed against Rockstar."

I've been "advised that Rockstar will pursue all necessary legal action to redress the violations of its rights, including, without limitation, an action for general, special and exemplary damages and equitable relief."

----------------------------------------------

[ ... ]

Now, I personally also apologize for the following:

I apologize for having an opinion.

I apologize that I created a group as a means to explore my FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

I apologize that the over 12,000 individuals in that group were SILENCED WITHOUT EXPLANATION.

I apologize for STANDING UP for my communities and the communities that I consider myself an ally to.

[...]

I apologize that you feel the need to THREATEN and SILENCE individuals & organizations that you know are POWERLESS in comparison to your various forms of capital.

I apologize that you seem to be confused by the semantics of the word "co-founder" in the sense that Michael Savage Weiner and his wife, Janet Weiner, IRREFUTABLY CO-CREATED / CO-INVENTED / CO-FOUNDED the Rockstar drink alongside current CEO RUSSELL WEINER.

From Rockstar's OWN archived WEB SITE:

[...]

I apologize that legal threats WILL NOT FORCE me into SUBMISSION.

I apologize that I will not be silenced.

I apologize that the incredibly smart, strong-willed and amazing individuals and communities that dislike your CEO Russell Weiner, his dad, Michael Savage Weiner, and his mom, CFO Janet Weiner, will NOT go quietly into the night and will too NOT BE SILENCED.

I apologize that I will, WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, continue to BOYCOTT Rockstar, as it is MY OWN PERSONAL CHOICE TO DO SO.

[...]

Yours truly,

Charles C.C. Tsai

On top of all that, the group's Facebook page was hijacked by Savage supporters. Yesterday, we received a Facebook message letting us know that, "Jan Mikael Evertsson changed the name of the group 'ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK FANCLUB!' to 'Michael Savage -- the FUTURE of America!' "

Since then, a different Facebook user has relaunched the "Don't Drink Hate. BOYCOTT ROCKSTAR" page on Facebook. The page reads:

See more stories tagged with: right-wing, alternet, michael savage, hate speech, rockstar

Don Hazen is the executive editor of AlterNet.

Tana Ganeva is an associate editor at AlterNet.

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