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Psychic demotional material

Robo Sapien

Skepocalypse
Robo Sapien
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
536
I've begun doing some work on printable media (pdf format), aimed specifically at exposing psychics, energy healers, and other such charlatans. The goal is to provide a library of documentation that anyone can print up and hand out at live shows or other events. The first publications will be on Sylvia Browne and Robbie Thomas.

I could use some help from the community gathering information and photos. I could also use some legal counseling on libel issues and what not, as I would prefer not to get sued. As much as I love the Penn & Teller way, substituting swear words for "fraud" and "quack" is not suitable for public distribution in a pamphlet.

If you have links to anything that could be of use, please post it here. I will be updating the OP with links as the files are completed and published.
 
Please keep me in the loop on the Sylvia Browne stuff especially, we're looking at stuff to pass out to folks at her appearance in Dallas in June!
 
When Sylvia appeared in Ottawa, Canada, the local skeptics group, the Ottawa Skeptics, handed out a pamphlet to show goers. This pamphlet did not say she was a fraud or a charlatan, but merely gave instructions about how to pretend to be a psychic. People could then read this material, while waiting for the show to start, or during the intermission, and then hopefully some of them will start to notice Sylvia herself using many of these techniques herself. This will do more harm to her than a brochure telling people that she is a fraud, and there is no legal consequences to you, as long as you don't use any copyrighted material. Skeptic Magazine had such an article, so maybe you can get permission to use some or all of that article for the pamphlet.

Make sure to put a few URLs on the pamphlet as well, such as to your own local skeptic group, and definitely to the StopSylvia.com site.
 
One trick of making a statement without actually making it is to pose it as a question. Also, if you can accurately attribute a statement to someone else, that removes much potential liabiality. Also include a few token assertions/denials/strawman arguments by the other side. Give it a (faux) facade of objectivity.

maybe something like this:

"Is Sylvia Brown a psychic or a fraud? She claims to have supernatural powers, but James Randi says .... "
 
chainlink said:
One trick of making a statement without actually making it is to pose it as a question. Also, if you can accurately attribute a statement to someone else, that removes much potential liabiality. Also include a few token assertions/denials/strawman arguments by the other side. Give it a (faux) facade of objectivity.

maybe something like this:

"Is Sylvia Brown a psychic or a fraud? She claims to have supernatural powers, but James Randi says .... "
Click to expand...

Are you a legal expert? I'm not, but I'm fairly well read in laws that relate to publishing, and as I understand it presenting things in the form of a question is no protection from libel.

http://openjurist.org/383/us/75
An insinuation of a crime is actionable as a positive assertion if the meaning is reasonably plain and clear, and the putting of the words in the form of a question does not change the liability of the defendant if the form and sense of the question is defamatory or derogatory.
Click to expand...
 
Have a cheat sheet of red flags, like healers who notice that one of your legs is longer than the other and cures it while you sit in a chair, or psychics who tell you have a box of unsorted photos at home. Just a list of like 10 or so red flags with a short summary of how they might show a scam is taking place wouldn't have to insult anyone's beliefs, it'd just be a way of telling them how to watch for "the bad ones". I don't think you can convince people by telling them wrong, but you can give them something on the grounds that, as they know, there are frauds out there.
 
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