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| Click for 2011 Idaho HB 205 |
Jared Smith, a student at BYU Idaho, spoke in support of the bill. Smith testified to having seen [pron]ographic images on three different occasions on computers at a library he worked at in high school. Seeing those images and not knowing how to deal with them at a young age turned him into a [pron] addict. “I was turned into a [pron]ographic addict. I had thoughts of suicide, and I was in my own personal hell,” he said. Smith claims that research has shown that overexposure to [pron]ography damages the brain. According to Smith, he has had counseling and continues to improve. He predicts it will take around 10 years to fully recover from his addiction.Source: "Technology Protection Bill for Libraries Sent to Amending Order," by Mitch Coffman, IdahoReporter.com, 24 March 2011.
His testimony helped support library filtering legislation in Idaho (HB 205). Click for more on "research ... show[ing] that overexposure to [pron]ography damages the brain." Perhaps he should consider suing the library for damages. (Contact me, Jared, if you wish to hear more about this.)
Isn't it sad the librarians involved tried to stop the legislation? An amendment has made the legislation weaker, so the librarians are now willing to allow the weakened bill to pass.
Why do librarians think they know better than Idaho citizens (like Citizens for Decency)? Read the article. The librarians oppose the legislation. The pron victims support the legislation. Why is that? Aren't librarians supposed to serve the public, not serve pron? (Read the library pron removal roadmap.) Could it be the claims of loss of local control are false since the legislation is needed precisely to allow citizens to stop librarians from forcing their anything goes views on local communities?
Click for more on this state CIPA legislation in Idaho.
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I am probably the only librarian in Idaho that totally supported the filtering legislation. I made my legislators aware of my career and my backing of the bill.
ReplyDeleteEvery librarian knows full well that non-filtered computers are used for pornographic purposes. No one denies it. I have yet to encounter the person who is doing breast cancer research, thus needs filter turned off.
Why should public tax dollars go to support porn addicts? That is the bottom line, not freedom of information. Is porn information? NO!
I have seen men publicly masturbating while viewing porn on library computers. When I reported this to my supervisor (at Nampa, ID library), I was told it was none of my business. I wondered if it became "our" business if he sexually assaulted some child in the library bathroom after this viewing.
I expressed my views to the Idaho Library Association and was quite disappointed that they chose to fight filtering. All filters can be turned off NOW for legitimate research.
Jo Ellen Ringer, Notus Public Library, Notus, ID
Thank you for commenting! That was such an excellent comment, I blogged it! See:
ReplyDeleteLibrarian Strongly Supports Filtering Legislation; Notus Public Library Director Jo Ellen Ringer Tells It Like It Is
Thanks again.