Current Issue:
Jordan Brown, a pastor from Texas ordered a custom cake that will only say “Love Wins,” allegedly, instead he received a cake labeled “Love Wins F#g.” Pastor Brown sued Whole Foods for using the derogatory term, however, Whole Foods decided to counter-sue the pastor for defamation of character on the terms of slander.
Global Issue:
The First Amendment rights of free speech and free press often clash with the interests served by defamation law. Defamation can be caused orally- slander, or written- libel. Corporations may sue for defamation when false statements are made about their businesses or reputations. Each state has different laws regarding defamation; however, generally corporate defamation suits must meet three requirements. An actionable statement must be untrue, it must be made in writing or verbally to a third person, and it must cause the corporation damage.
Group Reaction:
When our group first came across this case, it caught our attention right away. This case seemed both incredible and comical, incredible because it sounded fake from the very beginning, and comical because Pastor Brown was accusing a member of the same community for writing offensive slurs on a cake. Although we only know that Whole Foods did counter-sue the Pastor, we believe and hope that the case will, for one, not make it far, and two, if it does, the community will be able to see that the Pastor’s claims do not up, especially alongside the video-evidence of the real cake. We are mostly hoping that the First Amendment is able to protect the truth in this case.
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