I think I would avoid using the term "slander" in case it inflames people further, regardless of how accurate it is.
I agree. I would change that sentence to say that "inaccurate, defamatory things have been said" instead of "slanderous." We can easily maintain that a statement is incorrect (for example, their saying that we "broke into" their home when there is no police report to that effect), but slander is something that should probably be proven in a court of law, IMO. People have explicitly said that they intend to use this to destroy our organization. Last I heard, they were still saying that the fact that one of these birds got cancer is Mickaboo's fault. Having followed this closely for the duration, I would treat this topic as extremely incendiary, probably a show-stopper at first mention, and would not expect to skate by on a pat answer, no matter how well-parsed. --VH