www.esryle.comLOCAL NEWS ACROSS THE NATION
Posted on 08/30/2004 8:24:35 AM PDT by esryle
LOS ANGELES -- Using a cellular telephone in a city library could cost incessant yakkers plenty -- up to $1,000.
City leaders adopted an ordinance, which takes effect Sept. 15, that bans all cell phone use in libraries, including talking, text messaging and ringing tones of any kind.
First-time violators will be warned, then fined $250 if they don't comply. A second offense gets a $500 fine and a third offense gets a $1,000 fine.
Huntington Beach, Calif., civic leaders believe those may be the nation's stiffest fines for cell use. The ordinance was prompted by complaints about annoying rings and people walking around or standing at computer terminals chatting loudly.
"People are really getting sick of these things with the screaming and yelling and these anguished conversations," said Carol "Miss Manners" Page, founder of CellManners.com, a site dedicated to promoting cell phone etiquette.
Some feel the ordinance is too rough.
"I loved it when they put out the signs for no cell phones. It's annoying," said Tom Supranovich, 35, who was at the Huntington Beach Central Library on Tuesday.
But a $250 fine?
"That's a little draconian," Supranovich said "A day's expulsion would get the message across."
The fines were reduced from an initial proposal of $500 or six months in jail for the first offense.
Why not life in prison? The socialists will not stop until their dream of a totalitarian police state is realized.
This is ridiculous. I believe that cell phones should not be used in libraries, movie theaters, concerts, etc., but I don't think passing laws making it a criminal offense makes any sense.
Scene 1
Action: Cell phone rings in library.
Librarian (whispers): I'm sorry, but you'll have to go outside to use your cell phone.
Library Visitor: OK.
End of scene.
I miss the days when libraries were quiet and people could go there and read without noisy mental interruption.
Attack of the Nanny State
A few months ago, I was in the library looking up a book for our club meeting. I didn't have the title quite right and without giving any thought to it, picked up my cell phone to call my friend to confirm the book title while I was on the computer card catalogue.
I had no idea I did anything wrong.
I was taken immediately into a conference room there and had my backpack searched.
These same people insist people have the "right" to look up porn in Library computers.
"The fines were reduced from an initial proposal of $500 or six months in jail for the first offense."
99.999999% of librarians are card carring lunatic libs. They just look mild mannered.
This part is a joke, right?
I wonder if the fines collected will ever amount to the cost of their first Eighth Amendment challenge.
I found the lack of any mention of penalties for being a smelly dangerous street person amusing, as well. I guess these people are now even more welcomed since they generally don't have mobile phones.
I need to go read some Orwell and Rand, at least so I can be prepared. Government is getting out of hand.
I am sick of this me! me! me! "center of the universe" generation.
This cellphone obsession is so weird. It's like the New Tobacco.
No joke. Backpack was checked. And that was all. I went outside and made my phone call, wrote down the correct book title and went back in to take the book out.
Library Visitor: OK.
End of scene.
Unfortunately, that's not what will happen. The Library Visitor will likely start yelling at the Librarian, spouting off about some supposed Constituitional right to have his/her/its cell phone annoy and irritate everyone nearby, the Librarian will (hopefully) stand his/her ground, tempers will flare, and the police will come in and pepper-spray everyone involved.
No one nowadays will meekly say, "OK" and be done with it. No one rude enough to not think to turn its cell phone off before going into the library, that is.
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