Debate Challenge to Gothamist Ben Yakas About His False Claim of Right to Porn in Public Libraries

I challenge Gothamist Ben Yakas to debate his false claim of the "constitutional right" to "enjoy" pornography in public libraries.  His highly visible story contains misinformation that is 100% opposite of the law, and it starts with the title:

• "Video: NYers Still Enjoying Constitutional Right to Look at Porn at Public Library," by Ben Yakas, Gothamist, 5 January 2013, hyperlink in original:

  But as any New Yorker with a library card knows, we have a constitutional right to enjoy Lord Of The Cock Rings in the comfort of a dimly-lit city building if we want.

No, Ben Yakas, the truth is 100% the opposite, and from a far more reliable source:  "public libraries' use of Internet filtering software does not violate their patrons' First Amendment rights...."  United States v. American Library Association, 539 U.S. 194 (2003).  That your library leaders are misleading you and your readers and your politicians is no excuse.

At a minimum, Ben Yakas should edit the story to remove the flat out false material from the title and the text, or add that such is merely a viewpoint of the libraries, but is not the law and has not been for a decade.

He even links to an article from five years ago discussing "library watchdog Dan Kleinman."  So as Ben Yakas linked to a story discussing me, I have every right to expect him to accept my challenge, debate fairly, then publicize the debate fairly.

Ben Yakas, do you accept my challenge to publicize a debate between you and me on your false claim of a constitutional right to porn in public libraries?  You are going to lose.  As a courtesy, here's why:

• "Library Porn Removal Roadmap; NCRL Director Dean Marney Details How to Legally Remove Legal Porn from Public Library Computers and Advises that the ALA Relies on Outdated Dogma," by Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries, 15 November 2010, updated to 26 July 2012.

It is really sad to see media flat out propagandizing the dogma.  It fools the public and mollifies the politicians who fear to tread on nonexistent First Amendment rights.  The public cries out for redress but the false lies told over and over again for a decade now serves only to keep the population subject to Brooklyn Public Library/American Library Association/ACLU diktat.  Meanwhile, fist fights break out, kids get exposed to porn as even I saw myself when I visited the library, people avoid going to the library and start petitions, library employees are harassed by porn viewers and are afraid to speak up, the porn industry grows that much stronger and harms more "actors," etc., etc.

Now adding to all my other Brooklyn Public Library stories, here is someone viewing porn right out in the open, and at least one child can be seen in the video as well.  It is NSFW.  It grabbed my attention, thanks to Ben Yakas at Gothamist:

[Note: video removed as it is no longer available.  Being replaced with this graphic from the Gothamist story linked.]

Ironically, the Brooklyn Public Library's Twitter account @BKLYNlibrary blocks my @SafeLibraries account.  I suppose hearing that the library is defrauding the federal government of millions and falsely promoting porn while exposing children to harm is worse than actually doing those things.


NOTE ADDED 14 JUN 2015:

Minor edit, remove dead link and replace with graphic, update Twitter account.  FYI, to this day, years later, @BKLYNlibrary still blocks me.

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