Policing Porn Isn't Part of The Job

Rick Zeman wrote to mention a Washington Post article about an incident at a Bethesda library. Two uniformed men from a Homeland Security detachment made an announcement stating that pornography was not acceptable viewing at the library. They then questioned a patron's choice of reading material. From the article: "A librarian intervened, and the two men went into the library's work area to discuss the matter. A police officer arrived. In the end, no one had to step outside except the uniformed men. They were officers of the security division of Montgomery County's Homeland Security Department, an unarmed force that patrols about 300 county buildings -- but is not responsible for enforcing obscenity laws."

Comments

Re:Neat!

[CountBrass]

I disagree. There is a very big difference between post-Englightenment western Christianity and Islam. The fundamental one in that regard is that the west accepts the separation of church and state, Islam doesnt and that makes a big, big difference.

Now if you'd said there was no difference between modern Islam and medieval christianty I'd have agreed.

No porn in the libraries please.

[pair-a-noyd]

Computers are cheap.
Let people do their porn viewing in the privacy of their own home and foot the bill themselves.

I object to the public financing the vehicle for perverts to get a FREE thrill at taxpayers expense. These sickos go wank off in the library then leave the mess behind for someone else. BS to that. That's just flat out wrong.

And doing it where other people passing by, women and children for instance, that's very, very wrong. There has been a trend of people driving around with porn running on LCD's in their SUV's with the intention of other drivers seeing their porn shows. KIDS are seeing this stuff too.. The police in some cities are pulling these people over and ticketing them but I think they should be arrested, same as a flasher would be.

You want porn? Do it at home behind closed doors but don't do it on the taxpayers tab.

As for DHS intervening, good for them. They are law enforcement officers are they not? I'm sick of this "hey, it's not MY job" attitude everyone has now.
A cop is a cop is a cop. Or should be.

And since the porn in the library problem isn't being handled I think they should simply remove the computers from the library. Let people go buy their own, they're cheap now.

brimstone

[the0ther]

fuck those guys. much more of that shit and we'll need another armed revolution. none of this nancy-boy sitin bs.

Re:Porn @ the Library

[MyLongNickName]

But it's OK when the rights you enjoy come out of others pockets? You, sir, or madam, frighten me.

My rights do NOT come out of others' pockets.

I have the first ammendment right of free speech. This means the government cannot step on it. It does not mean that they have to give me a forum to speak from

I have the right to bear arms. This means the gov't cannot stop me from buying a gun (though that seems to be ignored in some locales). This does not mean that the gov't must buy me a gun.

Virtually all of the rights we enjoy are, in one way or another, out of the public's pockets. We pay for a military, and (supposedly) law enforcement to, among other things, defend those rights.

Blatantly false. Having a milatary is not a right, neither is police protection. Don't belive me? Next time a crime happens to you, sue the police for failure to protect you. It has happened before, and every court case has ruled against the plaintiff. Police enforce laws, they do not act preventatively to protect your rights.

Is military protection a right? It has only been a relatively recent thing that we have large standing armies. In fact, our founding fathers warned us against them.

I promise you, there are church ladies out there who are angry that they have to pay for your right to look at 14th-century Italian painters at your library - because there might be pictures of naked chubby girls in there. They resent having to pay for your right to view this trash. Ridiculous? How, exactly, are you any different?

Beacuse, if you could read, you would see I am not against any right you have. If you are into gay rhino bondage porn, I really do not care. Want to create a museum that worships the spaghetti monster? Fine. But as as soon as you try to get it funded through tax payer money, I will object. Getting funding for your desires is NOT a constitutional right.