Dear Editor:
Regarding Mr. Bill C. Jones’s letter of Feb. 26:
Mr. Jones, I am always grateful for any opportunity to continue
the debate on library ‘Net porn. I wonder, however, if you could
not kindly confine yourself to castigating me for things that I
actually say?
Dear Editor:
Regarding Mr. Bill C. Jones’s letter of Feb. 26:
Mr. Jones, I am always grateful for any opportunity to continue the debate on library ‘Net porn. I wonder, however, if you could not kindly confine yourself to castigating me for things that I actually say? You are very adroit at quoting Winston Churchill, so it obviously is not a problem with your reading comprehension.
I never pretended, or even claimed to have, high moral standards. Nor did I ever ask for all computers to be equipped with any filters, let alone with “Jesus” filters. You made those accusations up.
Our proposal to the library was and is:
1. Adopt an Acceptable Usage Policy that prohibits the viewing of pornography in the library.
2. Filter some terminals. (This they actually did, huzzah.)
3. Allow all adults and those minors who have signed parental consent to
use unfiltered terminals.
Your comparison of pornography to the Constitution is ludicrous. The First Amendment has never been interpreted to protect child pornography or obscenity, nor to allow the distribution of harmful matter to minors.
Your list of underblocking by various filters is beside the point, as no one has ever suggested that all terminals be filtered.
Lastly, I certainly would applaud you if said to any child viewing pornography, “Son, does your mother know you look at that stuff?” But be advised, the librarian may not be so admiring. It is within her discretion, under current library policy, to ask you to please respect the privacy of the child.
Cynthia Walker, Gilroy
Submitted Friday, Feb. 27 to ed****@****ic.com
