Monday, April 9, 2007

Is "Hobonanism" A Word?

The right-wing Christian blogosphere is all abuzz with the shocking news that Sacramento's Public Library Authority voted to affirm the right of their libraries' patrons to access pornography on library computers. Now, in general, when forces friendly to the 1st Amendment triumph over the paternalistic, prudish people that would prohibit the proletariat's access to pornography (see what I did there?), I cheer. But this case... well, I'm still cheering, but it's a small, highly qualified sort of celebration.

Obviously a public library is designed to be a source of both educational and entertaining media, and I'd be lying if I said that in my misspent youth I didn't avail myself of some of the more explicit, salacious examples of that media. But I didn't, ahem, avail in the library. I did so at home, in private, where such behaviour typically belongs.

Listen, if someone wants to look at porn in a library (with headphones, if there's sound!), I have no problem with that -- so long as all they do is look. If they want to print it out or record it, take it home and avail, more power to them (hopefully they're availing to a legitimately purchased copy of The Bi Apple). But what if... what if they don't have a home?

Yes, that's right: While protecting our rights as adult citizens to access the full spectrum of media from a platform which we pay for with our tax dollars, the Sacramento Public Library Authority has also made their educational edifices a haven for masturbating hobos. Now look, I know that some of you might be very pleased by the thought of hobos pleasuring themselves, and I'm not going to judge you for doing so -- but I am saying it's wrong for hobos to manually pleasure themselves in a public library.

More seriously, this is a bit of a sticky (no pun intended) issue. Should adults be allowed to access pornography? Yes, absolutely. But the primary purpose of a public library is not to help its patrons get off, and I don't see an easy, cut-and-dry way of balancing the rights of the individual grown-up to look at whatever disgusting filth they desire with the library's stated purpose of maintaining a a safe, welcoming and comfortable environment for the public.

Hm. If only any professional librarians read this blog. I bet they'd have something insightful to say on the topic!

6 comments:

Viviane said...

Did you submit it to the Urban Dictionary?

Mikey Mongol said...

Bien sur!

Shay said...

Icky!
I don't like the image of hobos masturbating in the library at all!

But I can kinda see the libraries' thinking - it's a slipper slope - you let the govt. take away the porn and next they are going after the national geographics, and then the educational sex books! Eventually no one will know what the bit between their legs is for or why a woman's belly starts to swell after she's had a man's dangley bit in her.

Hopefully public libraries keep their computers out in the open with people watching to make sure no one starts playing a game of pocket pool while they "research" a little uncensored action.

Unknown said...

I don't think the immediate jump of logic is that homeless people will be wanking off because the library allows public porn to be accessed.

I don't know that I really believe in the filters anyways. I've experimented some with this and had blogs like Dooce's (a mom blog where the author is famous for being fired for blogging about her work) blocked, and my blog isn't. This makes the point that while sites like literotica are always blocked, plenty of "adult" sites don't classify correctly and are accessible.

Beyond that, I think freedom of speech is something we restrict more often than we should. What right does anyone have to tell me that looking at naked pictures is wrong? What right does anyone have to tell me that I don't have the right to look up an erotic story?

I'm lucky because I have a broadband connection at home. But I have had days when I'm out and about and I wanted to check on something (whether a story had finally posted or not, etc) and haven't been able to. No, it's not a huge imposition, but it's still stupid.

My reaction to the story is "I want to move to Sacremento." For certain my public library will never allow that.

Mikey Mongol said...

To clarify, Deliciously, I meant the hobo thing most in jest (and as an excuse to use the word "hobonanism"). I am a bit more serious, however, in the conflict I see between totally unrestricted internet access and the concept of a "safe space" for adults and children. I come down on the side of the unrestricted access, but not without reservation.

Mikey Mongol said...

Mostly in jest, I mean.