Freedom of Speech - Abortion

[Andrea Bartelstein]

Ronnie Morgan said:

> I'm not saying that kids "don't" need access to the internet.  There are   
> a lot of good/fun things on the net just for kids.  
> 
> But, again I'll say this.  If people would have taken the responsiblily
> a long time ago, to make sure some kid isn't getting to their stuff, the
> bill never would have been thought of, and would never have been needed. 
> I guess in a way I'm saying that this whole mess that everyone is making
> is your fault. 

Oh, please.  Let's get real.  The people who enacted this legislation
don't care about kids.  If they did, they'd be focusing their efforts on
the things that constitute actual danger to kids, such as: 

the tobacco industry
poverty
domestic violence
lack of appropriate, straightforward sex education
deadbeat parents who don't pay child support
lack of affordable health care
homophobia
homelessness

just to name a few.  But it's easier to erode the first amendment rights
of adults than it is to work on these problems.  Ideas can't hurt you. 
But a small group of individuals (whether it's the left, the right,
librarians, or a bunch of idiot legislators) dictating what everyone else
can read, write, or say CAN.  The same bozos who brought you this
legislation will turn around and bemoan the state of education in this
country.  What a cop-out.  Try fostering critical thinking skills in your
children by exposing them to open debate.  Tell them what you believe and
what your values are and why.  Let them know where you stand and why you
don't want them exposed to whatever it is that offends you.  Take
responsibility for raising your own children instead of expecting the
government to do it for you. 

I guess I'm not a lurker anymore...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Andrea Bartelstein               University of Washington, Seattle
UWired Librarian                 andi at u.washington.edu   (206) 616-1969
 
"Being offended is the price we pay for living in a free society."   
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~