IP: Re: The "Dangerous" Public Library

[David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

X-Sender: rjs () rpcp mit edu
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 20:52:47 -0400
To: farber () cis upenn edu
From: "Richard J. Solomon" <richard () goodread com>
Subject: IP: Re: The "Dangerous" Public Library


Dave: all this talk misses the point about community public libraries in
this day and age: they're quite irrelevant for the person who can afford
their own computer. 


If you are doing research, for the stuff not on the Net (of which there
still is an awful lot), you go to the nearest university or state library
or you buy it directly. If it is on the Net, why would you go to the local
library in the first place? Because you are too poor to afford your own
access. 


So censorship or filters are for the poor, not the middle class or rich.
And the poor tend not to vote. So what else is new?


Did you see the cartoon in the NY Times today? Two kids playing with a
V-Chip device. One says "It's easy!...The really cool  shows get the most
letters and biggest numbers." Says it all.


Richard