Do you think the government should be more worried about what books we read/check out from the library...?

Question

(like in the Patriot Act) or the guns we own?

Have you ever been seriously injured by a book? Which is the biggest public safety threat?

I'm not suggesting that we ban guns by any means, but it seems silly to monitor what we are reading. Especially when so many die from gun deaths.

"Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act allows the government to secretly request and obtain library records for large numbers of individuals without any reason to believe they are involved in illegal activity; and

WHEREAS, Section 505 of the USA PATRIOT Act permits the FBI to obtain electronic records from libraries with a National Security Letter without prior judicial oversight; and

WHEREAS, Such open-ended searches expose all library users to the search and seizure of their records and to the invasion of their privacy; and

WHEREAS, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Mueller have told Congress that they are not interested in library records and, as recently as April 2005, that Section 215 has never been used to request library records; and

WHEREAS, A comprehensive study of the impact on the public of federal law-enforcement activities in America's libraries, "Impact and Analysis of Law Enforcement Activity in Academic and Public Libraries," found that federal law-enforcement officials have made numerous requests for reader records and other confidential library information



http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/ifresolutions/usapatriotactlibraries.htm

Do you agree?

Answer 1

Patriot law is no farce. The "reasoning" is supposed to be specifically in the cases where actual law breaking has been discovered. For example:
Let's say you, in your infinite lack of wisdom, decide to blow up a building. You're caught red handed. To improve the Govt case against you, they might look to see what books you've been checking out. If you've checked out "the Anarchists Cookbook" and "Bin laden: What a Swell Guy!" 25 times each, they'll use that against you.

The Government otherwise does not have direct, unfettered access to most library patron accounts or activity. Many library systems, in fact, take steps to make sure that your records are sanitized except in the event of defaced, lost, or damaged equipment. They leave the "Joe Schmo has a Library Card" part, but not a track record of "Joe Schmo checked out this and that and this and that". No one needs to know that... why? Because the Public Library still believes in your Rights, even if the government does not.

Answer 2

Taxpayers fund the police and hearth departments. yet unquestionably the police stress has extra useful issues to do than pass after errant library debtors. If this became an Andy Griffith Mayberry episode it incredibly is humorous, however the indisputable fact that it unquestionably befell instruments a sparkling point of idiocy!

Answer 3

That's why I avoid certain searches on the Internet and pay cash for certain magazines and books.

Good Grief. In this day of computerized files, the main thing I am worried about is some incompetent federal agent leaking my information to someone who makes fake credit cards and IDs.

BTW, I'll bet if your next door neighbor was spending 15 hours a day researching how to manufactured a nuclear weapon and the FBI caught them before they armed it you would want them released and allowed to finish the job.

The way your question is worded has convinced me you have no idea of how this information is gathered. Learn how it happens then you may reconsider your position, you may not but at least you be making the decision from a position of knowledge instead of ignorance.

Answer 4

The Patriot law is a farce and makes us all non people...this one document may be the beginning of the end of the USA as our fathers knew it. My phone and mail could be used without a court order, my personal habits put into a database...Is America dead?

Answer 5

They have kept records of what you check out for years. They know what Web sites you visit and who you call. If you don't want them to know you will have to only buy your books at garage and thrift stores, have no personal phone line and don't use a computer. And people are worried about terrorists, the biggest one is in the White House.

Answer 6

Only problem with the librarys is that the children can check out some books that are very racey

Answer 7

I totally agree that this law is really worthless and that the government shouldn't be paying attention to what people read.

Answer 8

No one cares what books you read
Your parents should