Seattle Library Turns Porn Haven for Men; Battle Between Moral Police and Civil Right Activists Begins

A Seattle library is in news for not removing a man who watched porn movies on library's computers.

According to reports, when library's patron Julie Howe saw the man watching porn movies, she asked him to shift to another system, but the man refused to do so. Howe informed the librarian, but the librarian refused to act.

Howe wrote an email stating, " She [the librarian] could see the porn site on the screen from her information desk where she was standing and was sympathetic that library could not censor the content."

However, a spokesperson for the Seattle Public Library said, "We're a library and we facilitate access to all the one who visits. We don't tell people what they can view and what not. We can't say that you know. First amendment is protecting the freedom of speech. We can't censor it's not our business."

In 2010, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision: "A public library traditionally historically enjoyed broad discretion to select materials to add to its collection of printed materials for its patrons use. We are making the same discretion available in the public library to choose right content from internet and make available to patrons."

The ruling came when the American Civil Liberties Union sued a library in rural Missouri for constitutional violations after a community member had complained to the rights group that she had been denied access to astrology and witchcraft websites.

When she was reminded of the court ruling, Howe said she very well knew what freedom of speech laws talked about.

Howe, who seemed to be quite hurt by the incident, wrote further, "I had spoken extensively to the library about the incident clearly and also with Police and local representatives. The man right was acceptable as per constitutional law ( which I am not arguing with), but what about our right which goes unknown even thou we are not deliberately into that."

Another patron Jessica Christensen said, "Talking too loudly is not possible in Seattle Public Libraries as you may be asked to calm down and not distract others, you know they watch pornography".