Public Libraries

The War On Learning Truth And Reality In Schools And Libraries: The Dangerous Censorship Movement!

Ronald 1 Comment

American public education and public libraries are facing a massive crisis of extremist right wing ideology promoting censorship, preventing truth and reality of history, science, and free thought to flourish.

The attack is on against teaching the truth of racism against African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and the widespread antisemitism against Jews over the history of America.

White Supremacists want to wipe clean the truth about slavery and racial segregation, mass extermination of native peoples, and even the facts and reality of the Nazi Holocaust in World War II.

They express concern for the feelings and insecurities of white children that they believe will have guilt over the historical past, when that is preposterous!

What all children should have is an awakening of their minds to the horrors of the past so as to be able to deal with them in a far better manner in the future, but covering up for past wrongs is never the answer, as ignorance is NOT bliss!

The same applies to sexuality, the thought that somehow children cannot handle the recognition of sexual expression, not only heterosexual, but also gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals, as expressed in literature. This censorship on such matters only endangers children who will be treated as if their inner feelings have no significance, and sadly, will lead to more suicides and mental illness!

And allowing religion to replace science, and to repudiate science, as so many antivaxxers promote, is dangerous in the struggle against the COVID 19 Pandemic, as well as undermining the fight against global warming and climate change!

The New York Public Libraries And Pornography: Freedom Of Speech Gone Mad!

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The debate over civil liberties rages on in American society and culture, but the concept of limits still intrudes itself.

The decision of the New York Public Library systems to allow patrons to log on to pornography websites on library computers in their areas subject to public access is causing a stir over the extent of freedom of speech limits.

Does a person who is over 18 years of age have the right to access pornography websites on his or her own computer? The answer clearly is YES!

Should any person have the right to access such websites on a public library computer within view and sound of other patrons? The answer clearly is NO!

Pornography is something that is a private matter and should remain that.

No one should be subjected to other people’s views or tastes on sexuality, as it is offensive to many people, and children under 18 could be easily exposed to such websites while in the library, with or without their parents being present.

It is a question of common decency and public behavior, not an issue of freedom of speech. No one is saying that there is any justification or method to eliminate all pornography websites, but it most definitely is a question of common sense and sensitivity to the rights of those who do not wish to witness such sites within their hearing or viewing.

This issue will not go away, and assuredly, the American Civil Liberties Union will fight this matter in court.

It would not be surprising if such a case reached the Supreme Court at some point, and one cannot be certain as to how the high Court would react.

But in the mind of the author, if he were on the Supreme Court, he would vote to ban such pornography in public libraries as unacceptable to the general public, and make clear that sexuality is a private matter, not to be displayed in such a venue as a public library, a place for all citizens and non citizens alike, to enlighten and educate the population and promote their advancement.

So again, no one is out to ban pornography, which would be impossible anyway, but to ban it in public libraries in sight or sound of the vast majority of people who would find it objectionable in that venue!