[WEB4LIB] Dr. Laura is on topic

[Nick Arnett]

Perhaps those who challenge you with Dr. Laura's ideas should be asked what 
they think are the missions of your respective institutions.  No matter how 
she might see herself, radio stations are in the business of delivering 
listeners to advertisers; whatever does that best is what gets on the 
air.  Library missions are not even faintly along those lines.  As 
alternative sources of information -- points of view -- become more 
accessible, I would hope that people begin to think more about why messages 
like Dr. Laura's get air time.

Personally, I see her as a predator, pandering to both callers and her 
audience, helping neither one.  Perhaps it is overly contemptuous, but I 
have a hard time believing that either one has any real desire for 
counsel.  It's entertainment masquerading as the truth, which is very 
dangerous, especially when it turns people against institutions whose 
missions are not so cynical.

Nick