Filtering: beyond porn (was:Re: CDA

Tue Jul 1 16:39:07 EDT 1997

On Tue, 1 Jul 1997, Burt, David wrote:

> >>On Tue, 1 Jul 1997, Burt, David wrote:
> 
> I am a democrat.
> I am an atheist.
> I support gun control.
> I support a woman's right to choose on abortion.
> I am opposed to school prayer.
> I opposed Clinton signing the welfare reform bill.
> I support gay rights.
> I support limited affirmative action.
> I support more open immigration.
> 
> My voting record:
> 1980:Carter, 1984:Mondale, 1988:Dukakis, 1992:Clinton, 1996:Clinton
> The only time I ever voted for a Republican was for NYC Mayor Giuliani.

I must admit, David, that is a fascinating description.  And, if true, 
surprising.

As for me, it's soon back to lrrk mode.  I, like some others on this
list, am tired of the filter debate.  Long since tired of kicking dead
horses.  

I will note, however, that since the Boston Public Library thread in Feb. 
of this year when you began posting to this list (according to the
archives; and ok you posted a couple of times in '96) you have posted on
virtually no other topic, and have posted dozens and dozens and dozens of
messages. You've posted more in 6 months than I and a few of my friends
who read and value this list have posted in years of reading this
listserv. And I've been reading nearly from its inception. 

I've learned more about technical aspects of the Web, html, scripting,
validation, etc. from reading this list than from nearly any other source. 
And have meet some good people, and made some pretty decent virtual
friends.  In the last few months, however, you and a few others have
posted and posted ... overandoverandoveragain, on a topic that polarizes
people.  Me included.  I KNOW I should just hit the d[elete] key when
these dead horse kicking marathons dominate a listserv that I so value. 
And at times, such as now, I don't. 

Librarians, IMO, have better things to do than play cyberpolice to
testosterone-driven male minors.  The responsibility (at least according
to me and all the rest in my head) for controlling this kind of behavior
lies directly with the parents of the children in question--male minors in
search of sexual thrills.

I do not believe that discussion of such hot-button issues, ultimately, is
productive.  Some who read this list claim that they've learned and been
stimulated by new ideas from this ENDLESS filter / porn on the net /
library censorship debate.  I do not agree.  But you all have as much
right to your opinions as I to mine.

If a minor is looking at "dirty pictures" on a library monitor, I have no
problem with having that patron removed from the library or otherwise
denied access to a machine if the person's behavior is disruptive to
others.

But I have no desire or intention to play library cop, peer over people's
shoulders, make judgments on acceptable vs. unacceptable sites.

I trust people who implicitly or explicitly would waive constitutional
rights such as those protected by the First Amendment about as much as I
trust the fact that I can deadlift an appaloosa stallion and throw it over
the spruce trees behind my house.

back to lrrrrrrrking.