As a journalist, you are constantly dealing with obnoxious people by turning the other cheek.
Because you want something from them, such as an interview, you put up with their insults and put-downs and countless annoying tics.
Then the time comes that your subject becomes so insufferable that you write about it.
That time has come with this particular lawyer.
Dwight Schweitzer, former publisher of the defunct weekly The Jewish Star Times (of Miami), emails me Nov. 6 about my online publication of an interview we did on Aug. 29, 2004 (and he’s always been aware of its existence online):
I have to respect your cleverness at insuring that anyone who wants to find me finds you first by exploiting my name but do me a favor and take it off of the net…the damm article of yours appears in several forms as it is…and truth to tell I don’t think you have the right to use my name without my consent anyway….so be a good guy and get your "Dwight Schweitzer" piece removed…it has caused me no end of embarrassment….and if you’d like to really have me owe you one…take the rest of them off too….
I respond: "Forget it. It’s basic journalism. You should know that. I’ve done nothing to exploit your name beyond doing an interview with you…"
Dwight replies:
Luke…my name was the lead…The same piece is in there with three ‘headings’ and repeated 3 times just take the one that starts with my name off…Don’t give me the "basic journalism" nonsense….just be a mench and take that version off. (and don’t quote the law to a lawyer)
This is the first thing that comes up when I am googled: Dwight Schweitzer
Then I completely forgot about Dwight Owen Schweitzer until this weekend when I ….. Dwight Owen Schweitzer. Education:. I graduated from the University of …
I ignore him.
Dwight emails Nov. 8: "Luke, If I have to sue you I will… Do the right thing and take my name off the heading. It is no different than publishing a picture that was not authorized or released and you did not licence the use of my name….Why you are being difficult about this is a mystery to me…but it has hurt my reputation and is an embarrassment."
Schweitzer reminds me of the histrionic Benyamin Cohen.
