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I recently challenged a friend who expressed outrage that a woman was blackmailing his (crooked lawyer) friend by threatening to reveal the friend's misconduct to authorities.
I said, "So what? She isn't lying, is she?"
He answered "No. But it's BLACKMAIL and it's illegal!"
I answered, "Then she should just THREATEN him with blackmail, as that's NOT illegal!
So, why, in this case, is it illegal to threaten to do something legal (snitch).. but it is LEGAL to THREATEN to do something ILLEGAL (blackmail) ??
I am not concerned with extortion, which is a threat to do something illegal, like burn your house down.
Shouldn't blackmail be legal?
Christ on his throne, next time ask a freaking cop. Look, this is real simple.....
Blackmail.....uh, "black" should be the first freaking clue...."mail" should be the 2nd freaking clue.
Black-mail does not involve an illegal act, or a violation of any criminal code. Black-mail is about shame or fear or both.
For instance.....real case I investigated......Gold-Digger-Skank has an affair. Blackmailer obtained audio, photo and video-graphic evidence documenting Gold-Digger-Skank's affair. Blackmailer knows Gold-Digger-Skank has a pre-nuptial agreement that causes her to forfeit alimony and any other monies or properties if she has extra-marital affairs.
Nothing illegal about an extra-marital affair (although it should be), but if the affair is revealed to spouse, then Gold-Digger-Skank loses everything.
Blackmailer wants Gold-Digger-Skank to cough up some bucks to "buy" the evidence, about $250,000.
That's different from extortion, where a crime has been committed, but is undiscovered, or has been discovered but police have no/wrong suspects.
Example: Extortionist knows you hit-n-run (with injury/death) or engaged in fraud/embezzlement, sex offenses, and so on, and so they want "hush money" to keep them from going to the police.
That's the difference. You see that a lot in divorce court. Wife thinks she's going to burn Husband for "tax evasion" for the last how ever many years --- wrong answer --- that is prejudicial (not to mention extortion) --- Motion to Strike/Motion in Limine -- end of story.
Gee, how can anyone compare buying a cheeseburger to coercion?! That is really a weird way of looking at things, weird and worrisome...
If someone does something that is not illegal, it is nobody's business to interfere, let alone ask for money in exchange for not interfering. Only losers blackmail people as they don't manage to achieve their objectives in a decent manner obviously.
Buying a cheeseburger is a mutually voluntary exchange of goods/services.
Blackmail is a mutually voluntary exchange of goods/services.
It's two people trading one thing, usually silence, for another, usually money.
It's no different than going to a doctor anf trading one thing, medical care, for another, money.
The case against blackmail cannot stand serious analysis. It is based on unexamined shibboleths and deep philosophical misunderstandings.
The blackmailer offers a trade. One thing for another.
The gossip is well within their legal rights to talk about anothers secret or embarrasing activities. Why shouldn't the gossip be able to offer silence in exchange for money? Nothing about it should be illegal.
The blackmailee is free to decide if the damage done by the blackmailer talking will be worse than paying him to be quiet. If the blackmailee agrees to the terms then it becomes a mutuallly beneficial relationship. Just like any other relationship in the free market.
Unions blackmail employers all time. "Don't give us (insert demand here) and we will deny you of your right to do business". No one has a problem with that blackmail. It's perfectly legal and accceptable.
I recently challenged a friend who expressed outrage that a woman was blackmailing his (crooked lawyer) friend by threatening to reveal the friend's misconduct to authorities.
I said, "So what? She isn't lying, is she?"
He answered "No. But it's BLACKMAIL and it's illegal!"
I answered, "Then she should just THREATEN him with blackmail, as that's NOT illegal!
So, why, in this case, is it illegal to threaten to do something legal (snitch).. but it is LEGAL to THREATEN to do something ILLEGAL (blackmail) ??
I am not concerned with extortion, which is a threat to do something illegal, like burn your house down.
Shouldn't blackmail be legal?
Hi, I'm kinda new here and very aware that this is quite a late reply, yet, to everyone here, I want to give another example, and ask you to tell me whether or not that is blackmail:
In this example, the question is whether blackmail should be legal when the truth is threatened to be revealed and use that for personal gain, however, what if we do this:
Imagine, for example, two acquaintances, of which you're friends with 1. The other you have only heard stories about. Your friend tries to just converse with her and explains why he doesn't want to go any further than being friends, because of which she becomes furious. A few days later she spreads a rumor around to all of your friend's friends saying he tried to harass her. (Ignore the possibility that true friends wouldn't just blindly believe her, or just take a bigger scale; imagine the two being celebrities, and her spreading the rumor, resulting in a scandal, on live television) You, personally, are not happy with this and decide to believe your friend, whom denies having done any such thing. So, instead, you head to her house, and threaten to reveal a lie (for example: I was a witness to what happened, and can reveal the truth) in order to protect and help your friend out of this dire situation. Technically, it is still blackmail; blackmail threatening to reveal a lie, unless the other person takes back the lie they spread. But should it still be illegal? After all, it is not for personal gain, neither are you really threatening the other person with something illegal they did. Can anyone answer me this one?
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That is really a weird way of looking at things, weird and worrisome...
Another option:
