mdoneil writes “Some scumbag exposed himself to a child in the Cary, NC library. The temporarily unarrested sex offender touched the boy while he was in the toilet.
The Cary library director when interviewed by the local news media about the event made soms stupid comment about freedom to read.
The library is not going to make any changes in its security. Parents beware the Cary, NC library tolerates sex offenders in the name of patron privacy.”
Pervert
What should the library director say that would make you happy? I imagine it would be something like this: “The hell with courts or police procedures. If the perv comes back, we’ll shoot the bastard on the spot.” Or maybe you’d feel safer in Cary if the library director placed security cams everywhere, even in the restroom, where he can monitor you or your kid peeing. How many security cams would it take for such frightened people like you to feel safe?
sex offender
The director isn’t putting out notice that all sex offenders far & wide are welcome. He’s just saying that you can’t tell who they are by looking at them. This is probably such a rare incident in Cary that installing cameras or other security device would be a waste of money. Also, remember that the media does misquote and edit comments–the director may well have said much more. Too bad the tone of his comments came across as sort of nonchalant, IMO.
Right-wing misrepresentation
As usual, nbruce, you’ve misrepresented the situation in a typically scumbag, right-wing fashion.
Maybe we should lump anti-civil libertarians into the same category as perverts.
Re:Right-wing misrepresentation
Oops. That should be mdoneil, not nbruce. Apoligies to both of you for not being able to tell you apart.
Re:sex offender
Well that’s the thing. If he hadn’t wasted his time making excuses or talking about a ‘right to read’ then he couldn’t have been edited or taken out of context. Make a simple statement, make a strong statement, and then it leave it alone.
Re:Right-wing misrepresentation
> Maybe we should lump anti-civil libertarians into the same category as perverts.
I thought the same thing.
Re:Pervert
No, the director is a bonehead. Whenever you talk to the media you have to be simplistic and tell people what you know they want to hear. It’s not “Mother Jones” it’s the local rag. And the people reading it, whose tax dollars and goodwill you need, don’t want to hear you talk about the intellectual freedom.
What the hell does intellectual freedom have to do with child molesters? Nothing. Less than nothing. The light from nothing won’t reach it for another 400 years.
And how do cameras curtail intellectual freedom? Dumb policy, dumb answer.
Here is a less tone-deaf answer:
“We are horrified at the incident and we extend our deepest apologies to the victim and his family. We will do everything we can to help the police catch this person before he harms anyone else.”
If pressed on security procedures and equipment:
“We wish that we could provide a perfectly secure environment at the library. But libraries are no different than the society in which the exist and people who prey upon children are out there. The library has to balance its security procedures against the cost of them and how effective they will be in protecting our patrons.”
Not smart. At all.
News Story
This was not reported as a news story; all objectivity was missing. It should have been rewritten in a strict reportorial fashion, otherwise it should have been posted as an editorial. I’m afraid we’re going to have to rename LISNews “Library News Enquirer” or LIS Pundit or some such thing if this keeps up.
Re:Pervert
I’m not sure if you’re being facetious or serious but the answer is that you cannot treat me as if I’m a double-plus ungood crime thinker just because there are such people in society. Placing cameras as “crime fighting” tools will be unproductive in any event.
How much training have you had in how to talk to the press after your library has been turned into a crime scene? Buddy librarian goes in to the office every day for twelve or fifteen years without any kind of serious incident and suddenly he or she is in over his or her head with cops and reporters asking questions he never even dreamed he’d have to answer.
Chill, dude.
Re:News Story
Oh really? Shall we compare some of the stories you’ve posted birdie? You like to get in your digs.
Re:Right-wing misrepresentation
Good old Fang, my favorite Stalinist (the kind who shot real anarchists in the back during the Spanish Civil War). I see you’re as obnoxious and ignorant as ever, eh?
Re:Pervert
Cameras that film everyone in a given area and do not track who checked out what do not discriminate against anyone and do not effect intellectual freedom since people can still read and look at whatever they want. You have no expectation of privacy just being in a public building. Your privacy extends only to your patron records.
Not everything that happens in a library is a crucible for civil liberties and a referendum on the Bush administration, the liberation of Palestine, etc. And I say that as a liberal, Democrat and civil libertarian.
I’ve been interviewed twice, at work, by reporters and I managed not to shoot myself in the foot both times. With no training. It’s called having some sense.
Re:Pervert
Great, now I am agreeing with the liberal Democrats. Next I’ll be against the death penalty.
Wait I alread am against the death penalty.
It really is not a matter of liberal or conservative or fascist or intellectual freedom. Chuck has is exactly right. It is a matter of common sense.
Re:Right-wing misrepresentation
“Prevent in advance” annoyed me. Can you retrospectively prevent something?
Re:Right-wing misrepresentation 🙂
Concern yourself not at all Fang. However, Norma might be on her way up north, after all she is just across the lake. Look out for angry librarians for the next few days. Perhaps you should go to ALA it might be safer – at least for you.
Re:News Story
The article I linked to was reported as a news story. I added commentary and of course it is going to have my opinion in it. That is why my name is on it. I doubt that a journalist would have used the word pervert in a story. Of course all objectivity is missing I didn’t intend it to be objective. I intended to show my outrage at both the pervert in the library and the director Thom Moore, for being such a bonehead and bringing ‘everyone’s right to read’ into the pictutre.
The pervert was not there to read, he was there to sexually violate little boys. That disgusts me. I am not a journalist, never pretended to be and frankly for the most part they are not people with whom I wish to associate. Why do I have to be objective, you are not objective – you give opinions here, just like everyone else. I thought that was the purpose of LISNews.
So there was a news story, the link is in the first sentence. Then there are my comments. Would you perfer simply posts such as:
I do share my views because they are my views and I look to start debate and discourse. See, it worked this time look at the comments on this article.
Discussion -that’s how we understand one another.
Re:Right-wing misrepresentation
You’re forgetting that you are writing to Soviet Canuckistan; we have gun laws. And I’d really like to shoot the stupid son-of-a-bitch the came up with them myself.
And no, I don’t think I’ll go to Naw’lins or any other place that’ll give George Bush a chance to probe my ass. There’s no percentage in it.
Re:News Story
Amen Mdoneil! What does having or not having surveillance cameras have to do with reading privacy? How does one make the jump from improving building and user security to violating reading privacy? Besides, how many libraries have the money to install cameras to monitor all areas of their building? I am aware of four security cameras at my library building and none are in reading or checkout areas. Shouldn’t user safety come foremost? Why should libraries by sanctuaries for criminals? I would love to see a poll on how many libraries have security cameras. How about that for a next poll, LISNews?