Librarians as child pornographers? Wyoming HB87

Governing a diverse people is difficult – a lot like trying to manage a family of children, all with different needs, wants and interests, all pulling at a parent’s jeans’ legs at the same time. Sometimes they ask for things that aren’t good for them.

It is the same with our communities. Sometimes, well-meaning people get caught up in issues that are not good for the community. I believe this is the case with HB87- Crimes of obscenity – revisions, which calls for librarians to be subject to prosecution as child pornographers.

In a state whose people pride themselves on being “individualists” who go out of their way to tell government to stay out of their daily lives, this bill asks for government to be more invasive in our daily lives. This seems out of step for Wyoming.

The law suggests state and local governments should become “morality police,” punishing local professionals without clear-cut legal standards. There is no legal definition of obscenity for a good reason: today’s communities are diverse in age, background, education, religion, community, race. One person’s obscenity may be another person’s simple crudeness.

·Passing such a law is a noose around a community’s neck, just waiting to be yanked. In smaller towns especially, it could overload local government personnel. The legal and emotional ramifications would be a nightmare, guaranteed to erupt in ill will, rancor and resignations.

·It could easily overwhelm our local court system -- judges, juries, lawyers, court reporters, witnesses. Expenses could mount up quickly; and since Wyoming’s communities rarely have enough money, funds might be diverted from such red-flag issues as housing, mental and public health, first responders, potholes, drugs, aging water and sewer systems.

·To avoid potential legal exposure, some communities might simply close their libraries. A community is handicapped without a public library. Young people are at a disadvantage at all economic levels – moving into high school, looking toward trade school or college, or even into the unskilled labor market. It closes the door to a public resource that can help citizens grow and prosper mentally and economically.

·Today’s libraries provide more services than just books. Even in Thermopolis, there are digital materials, special reading programs, literacy studies, exhibits, free access to the internet, arts & humanities programs, inter-library loans; some larger towns have telehealth and GED training.   

·Communities already have a local means to monitor their children’s reading if they choose – a library board of directors and related associations. Library cards are not given to a child without a parent’s consent; and a parent can discuss or flag a child’s reading with library staff. That way, the child’s reading choices remain with the parent, rather than government.   

No government can shield its people from every harmful thing in today’s world. To try to do so makes our citizens – young and old -- weaker not stronger. That’s why communities create public schools. Education is not indoctrination; it is about teaching people how to think and make rational decisions. When autocrats, tyrants -- even well-meaning people – call for government to ban books and handicap libraries (and media), it can lead to bitterness, community discord, and, yes, sometimes violence – and heaven knows, we could use a little less of that.  

Ellen Sue Blakey

Thermopolis, Wyo.