Posted on 06/03/2002 12:25:24 PM PDT by KMC1
It seems remarkable to me that the judges in the Federal Appellate Court in Philadelphia could come to the decision that they did. Obviously none of them have used a filtered internet service. Or maybe they themselves just love their porn and begin to get huffy anytime some moralistic person claims its not the best thing. Nonetheless their ruling last week that CIPA, the Children's Internet Protection Act, was too broad and would block speech that was protected was utterly ignorant.
Though they are not alone.
In Illinois last week, a bill that was designed to require all public libraries in the state easily won its way through the state senate. The coalition within the state that has worked tirelessly to get such legislation in place was promised by the Speaker of the House that the State Reps would also vote on the measure. His words were that he, "would see to it personally," that the bill would be brought to the floor and be voted up or down. But alas, to no avail, the great Illinois bait and switch was pulled, and elected leaders stand around, a stupefied look upon their face and their mouth hanging open, and in a voice strangely reminiscent of Deputy Dawg, with perhaps a twinge of pot smoking thrown in, they utter, "well I thought I was voting for the right bill."
Good grief, elected legislators are supposed to understand what is coming in front of them before they vote on it.
Not that they weren't truly misled - they were. One state representative David Miller, was publicly rebuked by his own pastor, Rev. James Meeks, Sunday morning, both in their own church service, but also before the eyes and ears of all of Chicago on their television broadcast. Rep. Miller had been the instigator of the "bait & switch". Knowing that the bill that had passed the Senate in overwhelming numbers - and was likely to in the House, if it ever saw the light of day. Mr. Miller went to work quickly on behalf of the American Library Association, as well as the mayor's office. He sponsored a counterfeit bill that does nothing to protect kids, filter porn, or prosecute pedophiles who may use the public libraries to get their jollies and then go look for kids to act out against. Infact, Mr. Miller was told to "find another church!" Strong language, but when you consider that Pastor Meeks and the folks at Salem Baptist had been successful in helping get him elected - it seems all the more an appropriate response.
But he was not the only one, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan had promised to the coalition leaders that he would get the good bill out of committee and to the floor for a vote. His daughter - who desperately wishes to be the next Attorney General had co-sponsored it in the Senate. But if it was such an important issue to Mr. Madigan you sure couldn't tell from the way he stood by watching the bill die, like a murderer who lingers over the corpse until the last bit of breath is gone.
State Senator Patrick O'Malley, who authored the Senate bill, was warmly thanked by the 3000 marchers, who only one week prior had rallied in downtown Chicago to put pressure on lawmakers to make it happen. Joe Birkett, the state's attorney, who is also running for attorney general, and who has filed written support of the federal measure for protecting children in the online market place, assured me personally that if elected, targeting internet crime, and the people who commit it will be a top priority on the state-wide level. (Including pedophiles who get Chicago Mayor Richard Daley endorsed smut on the Chicago Public Library computers!)
The coalition leaders here in Illinois are planning more marches. One will be held soon on Chicago city hall, where once school is out Bishop Larry Trotter and Reverend James Meeks will lead 10,000 students to a sit in. And if necessary Bishop Trotter and his churches in Chicago, Washington DC, and around the United States, Reverend Meeks and his 15,000 members, Concerned Women for America, Eagle Forum, AM 1160 WYLL Chicago, and literally countless more will march in DC when the Supreme Court readies to hear the appeal on CIPA.
A national movement has had its fuse lit. The passivity of elected officials, who have shown their demonstrable love for pedophiles, who wish to masturbate in our nation's libraries, as opposed to protecting the children who come to use the library to learn, is turning the stomachs of all those who hear about it. A tide is rising and reasonable people from Asheville, North Carolina, to Sacramento, California, are saying,
"What do we want - FILTERS!" and "when do we want 'em?"
"NOW!"
Contact Kevin at kmc@wyll.com
If they are ever anything approaching 100% successful, who would buy their updates? You do realize that they make almost no money on the software, that virtually all of it is from selling updates to the site databases they maintain? I hope you do, because you would be a moron to think they're going to "innovate" themselves out of a job.
Hmm. I thought there already were public libraries in that state. And they want to "require" them? OK, we got 'em.
Now what?
--Boris
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