From: Lynn Ratcliffe


Excerpt from A-Clue.Com July 05, 1999, "Are Republicans Really Anti-Government?":

(Begin Excerpt)
Now chew on this one. Elizabeth Dole, seeking (supposedly) to shore up her
support among conservatives, would cut off all federal funds to libraries
that don't submit all patrons to Internet filtering, in the name of fighting
pornography . Never mind that no filters are foolproof, that filters often
throw-out protected political speech with the obscene bath water, that an
acceptable use policy can do the job better, or that this is a federal
mandate against local governments. I guess the thinking goes this way -- the
American Libraries Association hates filtering, they're all liberals anyway,
so burn their cyber-books and throw them in jail. (End Excerpt)

Nope, sorry, this is wrong.  Elizabeth Dole is only supporting the campaign
begun by Dr. Laura.

Btw, there are liberal members of the House and Senate who support this
too.....

Question:  If it is wrong to sell a copy of Playboy to an 8 year old, why
should that same child be allowed to view identical material on a computer
in a library?

Question:  If it is right to restrict children's access to certain movies
(PG-13, R, X), why is it not okay to restrict children's access to
pornography on the Internet?

My understanding is that only those computers used by children would be
filtered.

Lynn Ratcliffe


*************************************************************************

Dana Blankenhorn responds:

Lynn: Thanks for writing. But I'm afraid your understanding of Mrs. Dole's
position may be incorrect. Mrs. Dole is insisting that all computers be
filtered, including those accessed by adults.

The following is from the story you'll find on the other side of the link
referencing my words on her position:
--

Dole is pressing GOP leaders on Capitol Hill to "close a loophole" in the
House's sweeping juvenile justice bill "that allows adults to gain access to
pornographic material at federally funded libraries."

Although the legislation would force libraries to prevent children from
viewing pornography on computers, "the congressional plan does not go far
enough in promoting the values we share while protecting taxpayers and
families from pornography on the Internet."
--

And if you'll look at some of the sites that criticize filtering software,
you'll see all the programs would prohibit adults from accessing material
readily found on library shelves. (In fact, some programs filter out
conservative political groups, as you'll see on the other end of this
link -- http://www.media-awareness.ca/ENG/NEWS/NEWS/TWO/filter.htm)

The solution offered by librarians is an acceptable use policy (throwing out
anyone using a library PC for XXX research) and an alert staff, especially
when kids are around. Treating adults like children in the name of
protecting children is not something adults should accept, and it's
something the Supreme Court has explicitly rejected on other media.

Dana Blankenhorn