VERY OT: On Censorship.
Hello,
I want to clear up a bit of confusion about my statements.
> So you're going to dictate how tax money is spent, based on your
> minuscule contribution to the whole? My tax dollar is in there, too.
> You want to deny me the benefits of my contribution?
No. Let me put it another way, perhaps, that would be better. If you want
your library to carry Mein Kampf (which I now regret using as an example), I
suppose I can't argue with that - however, you should donate the book, and
not expect (potentially) my tax payment to buy the book for you.
The library isn't obligated to provide everything for everyone. There is no
"Right to Get Any Book I want at the Library" in the Bill of Rights.
> Actually, it probably does. It is likely in a restricted area, or on
> fiche or disk. It, like Playboy, Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated
> are major periodicals and any quality library will stock them.
No, I'm pretty sure I can say it does not 'round here. I'm not sure about
in your neck of the woods.
> What! Are you nuts? Of course bin Laden's writings, rants, and raves
> should be readily available to anyone who wishes to suffer through the
[...]
> suffering. It would be well that we all read these works so that we can
> recognize the next would be messiah.
I don't believe in teaching by showing madmen's works. They are, often
times convincing, and many a person could be lead into believing their
thoughts - I don't want a bunch of bin Ladens being made even by a fraction
with my money.
Again, what everyone else wants is up to them. However, I'm not so sure the
generally public would agree with you about making bin Laden's every whim
available at the library. The modern idea that we are loosing free speech is
absurd, if you look back to when the framers wrote the constitution, and the
way the government ran for the next century or so after that, it is obvious
that they didn't mean "anything goes."
However, as I have said before, I'm not dictating what anyone reads
privately. But, just like my city hall can't have a Nativity scene out front
without fearing litigation (isn't that censoring?), I'm not so sure that my
library should have radical Islamic documents.
To sum things up - I do not believe in Talbanic (is that a word?)
censorship. I believe that a library or other public or private institution
has a right to censor what they have under their direct control (how about
the kids that get in trouble at school for having shirts with Christian
sayings on them?). However, that does not mean I think there should be a
government enforced censor. The point is, the First Amendment does not grant
you the right to make others give you your brand of free speech, but does the
exact opposite. To insure that no one can enforce their ideas of free speech
on anyone else (i.e. making your bookstore only sell what they want it to).
That, in the end, is the freest speech of all.
> shoots I find. Censorship is _always_ the first step, whether by a
> do-gooder or a schemer.
True. And building a large military is often another early step. However,
just like everyone who has built a military isn't destined to become a tyrant
- neither is everyone who doesn't support " Laissez-Faire free speech" a
tyrant. Make no mistake - I support free speech, even on many things I
disagree with - I just don't feel free speech requires a library (or Debian,
for that matter) to do something.
> And you would deny anyone who's taste in books differs from your own
> equal access.
No. I'm denying their right to *expect* the government to buy the book for
them, not their right to buy/borrow the book themselves.
> and thus my ps. If you don't fall into the fundamentalist grouping with
> the likes of Torquemada, Khomeini, the taliban, or Jerry Foulwell and
> his clinic bombers, I apologize for the insinuation. It's just that so
> many who want to control others 'for their own good' hide behind
> religion by putting their religion well out in front.
Well, I'm not trying to hide anything by using a religious front. I
definately do not fall into the likes of people like Khomini and the taliban.
I am repulsed by them, no matter how firmly I believe in Christianity, I do
not feel the solution is ever to force someone to my view. Forcing someone to
believe something is only saying you don't want to know what they really
believe.
Best,
Tim
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