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Public
libraries were instituted for the purpose of
educating the masses, not for entertaining them.
While
researching genealogy and history books at local and
state libraries, I've been distracted and annoyed by
the number of freeloading bums, come-here students
and local perverts playing joyride on the library's
free Internet. I'm not exaggerating, either.
What
a pathetic situation! It's not the responsibility of
local and state government to provide instant
messaging, electronic gaming and e-mail access to
the huddled masses.
Honestly,
can we please exclude the absurd checkout of movie
DVDs, music CDs and other types of electronic
entertainment?
That
really puts the sugarcoated liberal frosting on my
conservative corn flakes. I'm
darn sick and tired of my tax dollars being wasted.
That's
why we have commercial businesses in a free-market
economy, not public libraries.
Oh,
duh!
In
the past, the Blue Dog and his children have enjoyed
summer days at the libraries. But that was when our
public libraries were for the enjoyment of reading
and checking out books, and certainly not for the
academic elitists and politically correct advocates
who cater to the patrons of pornography and their
sickening amusements.
A
lot has changed since the introduction of the
Internet, and libraries providing that service.
The
200 General Assembly session rejected a filtering
bill submitted by Sen. Mark Obenshain,
R-Harrisonburg, by a tie vote in committee. The
legislation would have cut funds to public libraries
for not installing software to block Web sites that
depicted subject matter defined as obscene and
pornographic under Virginia law.
But
the free-speech and do-anything-in-America crowds
lobbied intensely against the legislation.
Do
our statewide candidates oppose or support Internet
pornography filters at Virginia's public libraries?
First
off, the Democratic Yellow Dog offered his sage
wisdom: "Internet access provided by public
agencies should be divided into adult and child,
either physically or virtually. There should be no
filters for adult users - all present filters have
been shown to deny access to medical and other
legitimate sites. Terminals when used by children
should have filters unless individual parents opt
out for their children."
Said
Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, candidate for Attorney
General: "I support Internet pornography
filters at public libraries."
Said
Sen. Bob McDonnell, R-Virginia Beach, candidate for
Attorney General, told the Blue Dog, "I
support," the Internet pornography filters
legislation.
Said
26th House district candidate Matt Lohr: "I
support Internet pornography filters at our state
public libraries. We need to protect our minors and
the graphic nature of information that can be
observed while in libraries."
Said
Del. Chris Saxman, R-Staunton: "I support
having Virginia public libraries installing and
using Internet pornography filters if they accept
Virginia government funding."
Sen.
Sen. Bill Bolling, R-Hanover, candidate for
Lieutenant Governor, also agreed with the need for
mandatory filters: "I support the mandatory
installation of pornography filters on computers in
Virginia’s public libraries and public schools,
and the appropriate of state funds to cover the cost
of such installation. Neither library patrons
or students should be using public computers in
public places to view pornographic material."
Said
Jerry Kilgore, Republican candidate for Governor:
"I do support Internet pornography filters at
Virginia’s public libraries."
--
August 8, 2005
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