http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=1008534The Washington Supreme Court has agreed that filters should be installed on public library computers.
The court ruled 6-3 in favor of the North Central Regional Library, which had been sued by the American Civil Liberties Union for installing the filters. The majority wrote: "A public library has never been required to include all constitutionally protected speech in its collection and has traditionally had the authority, for example, to legitimately decline adult-oriented material such as pornography in its collection. This same discretion continues to exist with respect to Internet materials."
Joseph Backholm, executive director of the Family Policy Institute of Washington (FPIW), believes this is a good decision and that it is simply common sense.
"We don't believe that the Constitution requires taxpayers to provide access to all manner of speech to those who require it," he explains. "So giving libraries the discretion to not provide access to pornography is imminently reasonable and we believe within the guidelines of the First Amendment."
Joseph Backholm (Family Policy Institute of Washington)Even though proponents of pornography believe they do have a constitutional right to post the material wherever they please, Backholm argues otherwise.
"[The Constitution] does not restrict anybody's ability to create or produce or distribute pornography as they see fit, but the question here is: Must public libraries provide access to that form of speech? I think those are different questions," Backholm contends, "and I'm glad that the Washington State Supreme Court concluded that no taxpayers are constitutionally required to provide access to pornography."
The FPIW executive director is especially pleased with the decision because courts in other states have not necessarily shared the view of the Washington Supreme Court.
Topic: WA rules - public library no place for porn (Read 1198 times)