Marquitta Portman
261 Pioneer Trail
Marietta, GA  30068-3470

May 30, 2000

Mr. Brad Steiner, Esq., Corporate Counsel
Lycos, Inc.
595 Market Street
San Francisco, CA  94105
415-281-8720

RE:  Your May 30, 2000 email with June 6 deadline

Dear Mr. Steiner:

I realize that my letter of April 22, 2000 was probably irritating and bothersome. I am not attempting to be either. I am simply attempting to protect my rights. I received no response from you to my April 22 letter, in which I asked specific questions. I now ask, am I or the U.S. postal service remiss?

It is a mystery to me why Lycos feels compelled to take the role of adjudicator, particularly "behind the scenes." If what you have presented is true, the only objection to my web site is coming from one individual and that individual has the opportunity, the education, and the apparent proclivity to file a proper suit of libel. Libel is clearly a matter for the courts, not for corporations. Although you stated in your March 21 email that you "have no idea whether [my] claims are true or false," your current threat serves as functional adjudication that my claims are false. Your threat of "blocking" my summaries (unless I make your itemized changes) is a clear denial of my First Amendment rights. I have not violated the Angelfire terms and you have not provided me with any identifiable violation of said terms.

The only conclusion I am able to come to is that Lycos has also been threatened and you are simply trying to protect your corporation from being drawn into a bothersome and costly lawsuit. I do empathize with this position, but even I recognize that the cost of "doing business" sometimes carries a legal responsibility. Your responsibility is actually minimal, considering that my letters are ample documentation for the courts to summarily dismiss Lycos as a defendant party.

Considering that your threat carries a deadline of June 6, I am asking that you respond to this letter and to my April 22 letter, by both email and U.S. mail. I don't have an objection to filing the summaries with the Court, but I particularly object to being bullied to do so.

Mr. Steiner, I am not normally a quarrelsome person. I find this whole legal matter to be reprehensible and degrading. As an attorney, you surely understand the need to defend one's constitutional rights. Yesterday, we honored those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedoms. I'm now asking that you simply allow the legal process to bring justice, unfettered by any unwarranted actions.

Sincerely,

[signature of Marquitta Portman]

Marquitta Portman
(home telephone number)