Letter to the Editor

Library doesn't have porn

We recently had a primary election to choose the candidates for state representative from the 147th District. According to the campaign literature I received, one of the Republican candidates said she was "100% AGAINST Taxpayer-Funded Pornography in the Public Library." In another piece of her campaign literature she said that her opponents supported taxpayer funded pornographic material in the public library, while she opposed it.

And the Cape County Republican Women apologized to 147th Candidates John Voss and Nathan Thomas for a video that was recorded at one of its recent meetings. According to the Republican Women, the video that was sent out by a political candidate distorted the actual responses.

Pornography is generally defined as the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement. The Cape Public Library does not have material of this nature. Instead, it has material that teaches and informs a person about the human reproductive system. Given the importance of this particular biological system to all of our lives, the Library would be remiss in not having information on this topic.

And I am disappointed with all forms of the local media. I think it should have taken a more aggressive stance in reporting and editorializing about one of the candidates using obviously inaccurate information to benefit her campaign while denigrating her two opponents.

JOHN PIEPHO, Cape Girardeau