The CPL is XXX?!: February 2009

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Porn in Libraries is upsetting

I read an article today about a woman in the Salt Lake City library who was with a children's field trip when they were exposed to 2nd-hand porn. She asked the teenagers viewing it to turn it off and they did.

Please note two very important items:
1. She was allowed her Freedom of Speech in asking them to turn it off.
2. This happened in the children's section.

In this news article, you can tell that she was obviously upset by the situation and that her child was exposed to second-hand porn as well.

Watching porn in public is never a good idea. Let alone forcing second-hand porn on other people.
Read more!

Friday, February 20, 2009

More about Ogden

Here's a great article I found at Townhall.com. There's been so much written about this topic lately - and so many good points have been made both for and against Ogden. I'm still opposed to someone with proven ties to the pornography industry being responsible for enforcing laws that effect pornographers (obscenity laws, etc).

As mentioned in the article linked to above:

His nomination has pornography supporters excited and opponents distressed. Colin Hardacre, a Los Angeles attorney who represents porn businesses, told a porn industry news website that "it is a nice change of pace to see the president choosing smart people with experience."
"This is a good sign for the adult industry," he said.

And an apprehensive time for the rest of us, I say. Please - if you haven't already done so - call your local senate judiciary committee member. Again - those phone numbers are listed here.

Thanks!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

quick and simple!

If you haven't called yet re: the Call to Action post from yesterday, please do. This simple call will take maybe a full minute of your time.

When I called, I simply stated my name, why I was calling and that I was against Ogden being accepted for the position of Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice. The aide on the other end of the phone asked for my zip code and thanked me for my call. That was it! The entire process took about 25-30 seconds!

It is one of the quickest and most painless ways to make your voice heard. Please make this very important call today!

If you're in Illinois, just call Durbin's office at (202) 224-2152.

THANK YOU!
Read more!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Call to Action!

All right, folks - we're at a pivotal moment here. It's still possible for us to make our dissatisfaction with the David Ogden as nominee to be the Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice known. If Ogden get's it, he'll be #2 (under Eric H. Holder Jr.)

As someone that opposes the free and rampant use of internet pornography in my public library, it concerns me that Ogden might actually be accepted to this post because:

* David Ogden argued on behalf of Playboy, Penthouse and the ACLU in obscenity and pornography cases.
* David Ogden opposed the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) which includes a provision requiring Internet filters in federally-funded libraries.
* David Ogden opposed the Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act (CPOEA), which requires verification that models in pornographic films be certified over age 18. (Ogden argued that keeping records of porn models' ages would "burden too heavily and infringe too deeply on the right to produce First Amendment-protected material.”)
* David Ogden pushed for taxpayer funding to publish Playboy in Braille.

Here' the call to action - in order to voice our concern with this nomination, we need you to call a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on this nomination Thursday, February 26th.

The committee members are listed below.
At the very least, call the one closest to your state of residence. If you're in Wisconsin, sorry - you have to call both Feingold and Kohl!

Cardin D-Maryland (202) 224-4524
Coburn R-Oklahoma (202) 224-5754
Cornyn R-Texas (202) 224-2934
Durbin D-Illinois (202) 224-2152
Feingold D-Wisconsin (202) 224-5323
Feinstein D-California (202) 224-3841
Graham R-South Carolina (202) 224-5972
Grassley R-Iowa (202) 224-3744
Hatch R-Utah (202) 224-5251
Kaufman D-Delaware (202) 224-5042
Klobuchar D-Minnesota (202) 224-3244
Kohl D-Wisconsin (202) 224-5653
Kyl R-Arizona (202) 224-4521
Leahy Chairman, D-Vermont(202) 224-4242
Schumer D-New York (202) 224-6542
Sessions R-Alabama (202) 224-4124
Specter, R-Pennsylvania (202) 224-4254
Whitehouse D-Rhode Island (202) 224-2921
Wyden D-Oregon (202) 224-5244

The personal touch of a phone call is the best way to communicate our concern about this matter. Please take five or ten minutes out of your day to place this very important phone call.

THANK YOU!
Read more!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Church wades into debate about Internet porn in libraries

Cambridge, Ontario is dealing with the same issues of filtering, censorship and second-hand library porn. It's a relief to see the community getting involved by way of the The First United Church in Cambridge.
Read more!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

THE TOXIC AMERICAN PUBLIC LIBRARY: VIOLATING CHILDREN WITH “HARMFUL MATTER”

This is a really interesting article written back in 2000 about rampant porn use in America's public libraries. (Click on the title to access the complete article). The author is Dr. Judith A. Reisman. Here's detailed article information and Dr. Reiman's website with even more white papers and articles.

Here's a excerpt:

That the ALA is in direct conflict with the majority of the tax paying public is visible by studying not only the hostile reactions of the polity to the current ALA turning our public libraries into local dirty book stores monopolies, but to the concerns of the public regarding the media as “harmful matter” which should not be provided to vulnerable adults or youths.

The Toxic American Public Library: Violating Children with Harmful Matter
“A CLEAR & PRESENT DANGER”

April 4, 2000

Judith A. Reisman, Ph.D.

The Institute for Media Education

Drjudithreisman.com

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Deputy U.S. Attorney General Nominee Has Adult Ties

There's some big news today. President Obama has nominated David W. Ogden to be the U.S. Attorney General. Ogden's professional history is littered with ties to the pornography industry and he has even opposed filters on library computers for CHILDREN to use (CIPA). While there is no proof that his past will dictate his future. It is obvious that he has closer ties with Penthouse, Playboy Enterprises and even the ACLU than befits someone with "no political favoritism". If he had also defended someone on the religious right, I might believe that.

Here's a small excerpt from an article about this nomination, posted by XBIZ Newswire (Adult Entertainment Industry News for the Media):

Brian Burch, who runs Fidelis, a Catholic-based advocacy organization, called Ogden’s selection to the No. 2 attorney general spot “a major mistake.”
“Ogden’s record is nothing short of obscene,” Burch said. “He has represented Playboy Enterprises in multiple cases, Penthouse Magazine, the ACLU, and the largest distributor of hardcore pornography videos.”
“He has opposed filters on library computers protecting children from Internet smut, and successfully defended the right of pornographers to produce material with underage children,” Burch said. “Ogden even sued the federal government in an attempt to publish Braille versions of Playboy magazine — at taxpayer expense, of course.”
Holder, the new attorney general, said Tuesday that he promises a “break with the immediate past” and that the department’s 110,000 employees could look forward to working in an environment where “there shall be no place for political favoritism. No reasons to be timid.” The Senate confirmed Holder Monday by a vote of 75 to 21.
(Emphasis mine. Click on the post title for the complete article.)

And here's another article from PR Newswire about the same thing.

This seems to be dangerous territory and is not too comforting for those of us that are trying to rid our public libraries of rampant Internet porn use.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Milabra - Detecting Images from Puppies to Porn

This is an interesting technology improvement and potentially has the capability in assisting with Adult Content Prevention. Maybe something we can use in the Chicago Public Library. IF the powers that be ever decide to stop protecting rampant Internet Porn use (and the subsequent broadcasting effect.)

Anyway - here's an article about this technolcogy, and here's the Milabra official website.
Read more!

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What is this all about?

The American Library Association has directed America's Public Libraries to allow open, unfettered access to the Internet, including pornography. (With the exception of child pornography, which remains illegal.)

However, this means that people who are not choosing to view this material may and probably will be exposed to it, including children.

These two clear sides create a national issue with each city and state being able to choose how they would like to handle it. Several cities, including Boston, Minneapolis and even New York City either already ban pornography in their public libraries or have taken steps towards protecting those that don't want to see it. However, the Chicago Public Library (CPL) continues to protect the open and rampant use of Internet pornography.

Here's the story...

I went to the Harold Washington branch of the Chicago Public Library (CPL) on Saturday, 9/27, to help some friends of mine learn computer skills.

While near the computers, I noticed a library patron openly viewing porn. I politely tapped him on the shoulder and said, "should you be watching that here?" He apologized and quickly walked out of the library, embarrassed.

I assumed it was an isolated incident. Until I walked over to greet another friend. Then I noticed several more patrons viewing porn. Alarmed, I asked the librarian on duty if there was a list of guidelines posted for the use of the library Internet. There wasn't. But there was a general list of rules. Among those was no use of your cell phone as it may disturb other patrons. There was also a rule against sexual harassment, but no rule explicitly stating that the use of porn was not allowed.

I asked the librarian about it. She said it was their "right" to use porn on the library Internet and computer. It is their right to do this with the facilities paid for by taxpayer dollars.

I asked her if they have to turn it off if I tell them that I find it offensive. She told me that I could not tap them on the shoulder and tell them it's offensive because "it might offend them".

Although privacy screens were installed, we could see EVERYTHING (I almost didn't believe that privacy screens were installed because we could see everything so clearly). The images were difficult to ignore and very clearly portraying sex acts on several workstation screens, making it impossible to look away - it was everywhere.

I stayed to help (though completely disgusted). While I was walking from one computer work station to another, a patron that was using pornography turned to look at me and literally looked me up and down. And I felt unsafe. In the public library, with my husband and two of our male friends, I felt unsafe. And voiceless.

As we were leaving, we spoke with the guards and were told that their use of these computers to view pornography is covered by their First Amendment rights and that privacy screens are installed on the monitors for just that reason. I was given contact information for the Commissioner of the Library and at the same time informed that she is also involved with "several law firms".