Bill Could Ban Gay News From Virginia Libraries

[Quetzal]

Bill Could Ban Gay News From Virginia Libraries

(Richmond, Virginia) Two bills that would require any public library that receives state funds to install filtering software on its computers could result in a ban on sites providing gay community news and information.

The lawmakers who have proposed the legislation say it is necessary to protect children from unwittingly stumbling across pornography while using the Internet at their local libraries.

The House bill's sponsor, Del. Samuel Nixon, Jr. (R-Chesterfield) unveiled his bill at a press conference for the conservative Family Foundation. Nixon is also a backer of a state constitutional ban on same-sex civil unions. The Senate bill was filed by Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg).

The bill would simply put Virginia in line with federal law, said Nixon, who filed a similar bill last session that was killed in committee.

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Bill Could Ban Gay News From Virginia Libraries

[NYC]

1. Gay news is not pornography.

What kind of an excuse is that?

"The lawmakers who have proposed the legislation say it is necessary to protect children from unwittingly stumbling across pornography while using the Internet at their local libraries."

Link to gay news site: http://www.365gay.com/

[tjwmason]

2. Exactly the sort of excuse we expect - unfortunately

Porn sites have clear obvious warning pages, you can't stumble across actual porn 'by accident'.

Also, if they are banning gay news so that children don't bump into gay porn, shouldn't they also ban equivalent straight sites - there's far more straight porn out there after all.