One Librarian's Story By Heidi Borton

[Charles Martell]

Dear Chuck O,

I have to disagree with your observation that pornography on
the Internet is not a problem for libraries.  It is a fundamental
problem.   The problem involves American attitudes toward
sex in general, attitudes toward what is appropriate for children
to see or read, and too many more issues to even begin to think 
about.   

Our Code of Ethics (1981) version on my office wall
(not the more recent update) states that "Librarians must 
resist all efforts  by groups or individuals to censor library
materials."  I would be hard pressed to say the Internet qualifies
as "library materials."   What we own yes but not everything we
or our users can access electronically from the library.  This is
far too broad and in my opinion would go far beyond original
intention or what we can legitimately include as within the
sphere of our "no censorship" responsibility.

However, filtering is still censorship.  This is a real dilemma.
Some librarians are against any form of censorship anywhere
in our society.   To censor in our libraries (even if the case
can be made Internet materials cannot be legitimately subsumed
under our Code of Ethics) would be repugnant to them. 

Personally I have no problem whatsoever with any kind of sex
on the Internet with any age group EXCEPT those which are
violent, are abusive, or do physical harm to participants.  The 
term "abusive" obviously can be defined in a number ways.
But I would start from the premises "Sex is Good" and "Violence
is Bad."   Abusive would be defined in my law books along the
lines of sexual harassment wherein the power of the participating 
parties over one another is a major consideration.  

I would encourage seeing and reading for any age group for any
kind of sexual material with the previous exceptions. 

Personal opinion: Our society is the pornography distorting
something intrinsically good into something bad while the
violence around us gets top billing.  I read somewhere by
the time a child reaches adulthood he/she will have witnessed
35,000 murders on television (and movies?).   My guess is
that same child will not have seen one good "full" sex scene.

The social and cultural biases of the" gentlemen" and the 
"swooners" have no respect for a healthy and wonderful
human . . . biological . . . physical . . . psychic experience.

The commercialism of sex has picked up on already existing
prejudices about sex and trivialized it, distorted it, demonized
it,demeaned it, and perpetuated juvenile attitudes about it
and disguised the violence the behaviors generated by these
attitudes have on both healthy boys/men and girls/women.

Some want to use the theme of sex "to sell" or "to exclude"
and power and control are the historical tools by government,
religion, and a host of other institutions who want power over
our "bodies" and "souls."   

Filters are only a little manifestation of a far bigger problem
Chuck.    We are caught in it no matter how we turn.

Charlie