Hustler Magazine Challenge, Week 2

[Ronnie Morgan]

At 02:12 PM 9/2/97 -0700, Sheryl Dwinell wrote:
>Yikes, I hope you don't go surfing for this stuff on your university's
>time! I don't know about anyone else on the list, but I've never seen this
>kind of stuff on the Web, probably because I haven't intentionally gone out
>looking for it.  I've never unintentionally stumbled across it either. As
>others have said, ad naseum, this stuff is NOT one click away from the
>Disney page.  This whole discussion is so crazy.  I've begun to suspect
>that these hard core disgusting porno sites generate more hits from the
>anti-porn folks looking for the nasty stuff than all the clicks generated
>by underage males.  

I never said they were "one click away".  The fact that they ARE there is
enough to justify the installation of a filter. 

As for spending time looking for it.  I figured a while back that if I were
going to be fairly knowledgeable in this debate, I had better see what I
can find.  It's not hard, and it doesn't take long to get to it.  And
although most was not one click away, if my child wanted to see it (without
my permission) he could.  I don't want him to, and you, the librarian,
should honor that.  

>>are advocating is not a dictatorship.  David advocates that libraries
>>should have the right to choose.  
>
>They do!!

Then let them and stop arguing about it.

>Most of you won't even allow a library to
>>choose whether or not a filter should be installed.  Think about it, why
>>would a library want to suffer the wrath of some of you people by admitting
>>that they have, or are going to, install a filter program?  Luckly I don't
>
>What sort of power do you think 'we people' have for goodness sakes! There
>are hundreds of libraries out there that are actively investigating the
>installation of filters, and who are using filters.  Did the mythical 'we
>people' stop them from doing this???   You're beginning to sound like all
>those other conspiracy nuts out there.  Having an opinion should not be
>confused with having power over an what others do.

Oh, I think you know exactly what power 'we people' have.  Yes, some of you
have made an effort to look at all aspects of this issue with an open mind,
but most have not.  And most would ridicule the ones of us who want filters
in attempt to keep us from installing them and to keep us from speaking
about it. 

>And, please stop confusing pornography and obscenity and child porn, i.e.
>legal vs. illegal.

Why?  If you don't install a filter, ALL illegal material WILL be
available.  Are you saying that because it's on the internet, it's not
illegal, even if it's child porn?  Sorry, but it isn't a "legal vs.
illegal" issue.  Illegal material should never be allowed, and the "legal"
stuff that would be appropriate for an adult is inappropriate for children.

Just so I get this straight, if your library "selected" a child porn
magazine for your library, it then becomes legal because you "selected" it?

>Finally, would someone PLEASE give me the stats on how many children are
>being damaged each day by porn on the Net vs. the number of children who
>are killed and harmed by abuse and neglect.  Let's get our priorities
>straight.

To begin with, let's not limit it to porn on the net.  Print material are
just as harmfull as the net material...  And, you know there isn't going to
be anything like that.  But with a little common sense, you'll see that by
preventing children's access to porn, you might just save a child from
abuse when he/she grows up and has kids of thier own.

BUT, that is NOT the issue.  A library can't do ANYTHING about children who
are killed and harmed by thier parents or other adults.  But the library
CAN set an example by installing a filter and do what is right instead of
hiding behind poor excuses.

I have said this before, and I will say it again.  And I PROMISE I'll go
back into lurk mode...  When the public realizes what is "out there", they
will want to know why your library has access to it.  And they will want
answers.  They will want to know what you plan on doing about it.  Instead
of hiding behind your excuses, you had better have an answer.

Ronnie

Disclaimer:  Views expressed are mine and mine alone.  My views or opinions
are NOT representative to Harding University.