gonzo
08-16-2006, 12:10 AM
This from the Eastern Arizona Courier...
The First Amendment to the Constitution states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Thanks to our founding fathers, we enjoy freedoms most of the world can only dream of. Unfortunately, we keep pushing these freedoms to limits that would have been unimaginable to the framers of our Constitution.
The press is the staunchest guardian of our free speech rights, but somewhere you’ve got to set limits on our rights, particularly when they’re offensive to the majority.
This can be extremely difficult. You could ask 100 people to define pornography and you’d get 100 different answers.
But it can and is already being done. The Federal Communications Commission determines and restricts indecent speech on the airways, and most states have laws requiring that men’s magazines such as Hustler and Playboy be kept behind counters and away from public view.
So you’ve got to ask why the Pima County Board of Supervisors recently voted to allowpornography to be viewed on computers in Tucson’s public libraries for fear it would infringe on freedom of speech rights. The Arizona Daily Star, naturally, supported this nonsense.
Libraries are safe havens of learning and provide communities with many educational experiences. They are the last place we should have to worry about our children being near perverts gawking at porn. Do we want our libraries to be the new hunting grounds for child molesters?
Graham County is bracing itself for substantial growth, which will provide us with much-needed jobs. Growth also brings an inevitable increase in crime, traffic congestion and conflicting ideas.
We’re confident our community leaders and government officials will continue the fight to maintain the casual lifestyle we cherish that’s based on morals and ethics -- something a spineless, politically correct Pima County Board of Supervisors would never do.
The First Amendment to the Constitution states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Thanks to our founding fathers, we enjoy freedoms most of the world can only dream of. Unfortunately, we keep pushing these freedoms to limits that would have been unimaginable to the framers of our Constitution.
The press is the staunchest guardian of our free speech rights, but somewhere you’ve got to set limits on our rights, particularly when they’re offensive to the majority.
This can be extremely difficult. You could ask 100 people to define pornography and you’d get 100 different answers.
But it can and is already being done. The Federal Communications Commission determines and restricts indecent speech on the airways, and most states have laws requiring that men’s magazines such as Hustler and Playboy be kept behind counters and away from public view.
So you’ve got to ask why the Pima County Board of Supervisors recently voted to allowpornography to be viewed on computers in Tucson’s public libraries for fear it would infringe on freedom of speech rights. The Arizona Daily Star, naturally, supported this nonsense.
Libraries are safe havens of learning and provide communities with many educational experiences. They are the last place we should have to worry about our children being near perverts gawking at porn. Do we want our libraries to be the new hunting grounds for child molesters?
Graham County is bracing itself for substantial growth, which will provide us with much-needed jobs. Growth also brings an inevitable increase in crime, traffic congestion and conflicting ideas.
We’re confident our community leaders and government officials will continue the fight to maintain the casual lifestyle we cherish that’s based on morals and ethics -- something a spineless, politically correct Pima County Board of Supervisors would never do.