FW: Staten Island Porn on the Internet, Part II

[CMUNSON]

Subject: Staten Island Porn on the Internet, Part II 
Date: Monday, March 03, 1997 8:51AM
     
Here is the second article:
     
"OUR LIBERTINE LIBRARIES"
Editorial, Staten Island Advance, 2/10/97
     
     
If you find your 13-year-old using the public library more and more 
these days, maybe you had better find out why.  It might not be for 
educational purposes -- or at least not for the education you had in 
mind.
     
All 84 branches of the New York Public Library system now are equipped 
with personal computers library-goers can use for research, particurly 
on the Internet.  (There  are 91 PCs in use in Staten Island branches).
     
     <-- much mental diarrhea snipped -->
     
Well, we can start to wonder if the "Staten Island Advance" is a reputable 
news source from its choice of editorials on the local public library. If 
the staff of the "Advance" had been intelligent human beings, they would 
have editorialized about the need for increased funding for the local 
library so hours could be extended, salaries increased, and collections 
increased; instead the Staten Island locals are inflicted with another case 
of...
     INTERNET PORN HYSTERIA!!!

We read that the librarians' defenses of free speech are "free speech 
absolutism and the fatuous officiousness" and a system is proposed of 
adults-only and kids-only computers. Once again we see the cry to restrict 
kids as second class citizens. This proposal makes it clear that kids are 
stupid, can't think for themselves, and will be irreparably harmed if they 
see certain things on the Web.

The editors at the "Advance" have shown, in this absurd editorial, that not 
only are they enemies of free speech, but that they are anti-children as 
well.

My cyberhat is off to the 12- and 14-year-old boys that prompted this 
editorial garbage, as well as the wonderful librarian had to deal with this 
"reporter."

Chuck Munson