September 9, 2007
If you’re not homophobic, why are you suing?
And “harmed” how?
Gay Hanky-Pranky Spurs $1.5M Alum-Letter LawsuitAfter what appears to be a college alumni prank, two New York men are suing their alma mater over an announcement in the school’s newsletter stating that they were “life partners” who had been married. It added that they were leaders of a nonexistent group called the Gay Rights Brigade.
Ross Weil, 29, and Brett Royce, 28, college buddies and former New York housemates, filed a $1.5 million defamation suit against American University in Manhattan federal court on Aug. 30, claiming the school acted maliciously and with “gross negligence” by printing the announcement.
. . .
The newsletter also trumpeted that Weil, a certified public accountant, was named “chief operating officer of the Gay Rights Brigade,” a made-up group.
. . .
Asked whether the school checks information before publishing, Reichley said, “Yes, of course we do.”
The lawsuit declares both men have been harmed by the newsletter’s mistake - even though they say there’s nothing wrong with being gay.
“It has nothing to do with homophobia,” Kaufman insisted.
Filed under: Education/Schools, New York, Random Bigotry
