Alloow me to readdress something just cause I think I mighta not been as clear as I ought to have been.... And misunderstands happen all too easily in this text-only medium.....

"Libel is a crime because words can, and often do, cause real damage to peoples' lives: their reputations, thence their abilities to make a living, etc."

Sure... in SOME contexts.... The forum here at Mudcat is NOT one of those situations....