Oberlin – perennial contender for the most obnoxiously “progressive” college in the country – gets hit with an $11 million defamation judgment after its social justice legion falsely accused a local bakery of racism:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Lorain County jury ordered Oberlin to pay $11 million in compensatory damages to Gibson<\/a>\u2019s Bakery, a local fixture since 1885 that was beset by protests and racism allegations after three black students were arrested for shoplifting the day after the 2016 presidential election.
\u201cThe jury saw that Oberlin College went out of their way to harm a good family and longtime business in their community for no real reason, and the jury said we aren\u2019t going to tolerate that in our community anymore,\u201d Owen Rarric<\/a>, an attorney for the Gibsons, told<\/a> Legal Insurrection.
The award, which could triple at Tuesday\u2019s hearing on punitive damages, came as a warning to universities that encourage social-justice activism as student protests spill from the campus to the local community.
<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nThe protests started after three black students were arrested for shoplifting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And what of that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, the three students pleaded guilty to shoplifting and aggravated trespass while issuing statements absolving the bakery of racism.
In 2017, Gibson<\/a>\u2019s sued the college for libel; tortious influence with business relationships and contracts, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, culminating in the nearly month-long trial in Elyria, Ohio.
\u201cThe students eventually pleaded guilty, but not before large protests and boycotts intended to destroy the bakery and defame the owners,\u201d Mr. Jacobson said. \u201cThe jury appears to have accepted that Oberlin College facilitated the wrongful conduct against the bakery.\u201d
<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nLet the caterwauling about “chilling effecdts” begin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
More of this. Faster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
UPDATE: It’d seem Oberlin itself is doing its best to make sure more of this happens faster<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n