Libraries should be safe places for youths

There is sometimes a fine line between censorship and protection, but when you add children into the equation, the line becomes clearer.

The U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling that Congress can require public libraries to install anti-pornography filters if they accept federal funding is example.

While there have been arguments that the ruling violates the First Amendment, it actually is a sound and valid use of Congress' spending power.

Internet access in public libraries is neither a "traditional" nor a "designated" public forum, the court ruled, because computer terminals aren't acquired by libraries to provide a forum for Web publishers to express themselves, but rather to "facilitate research, learning, and recreational pursuits." Also, most libraries already exclude pornography from their print collections, works of art, videotapes and CDs.

That's fine. But not having Internet filters runs the risk of exposing even more children to pornography. Do we really want our youths exposed to obscene material that taxpayers pay for them to have access to?

The Supreme Court ruling helps make libraries safer for our children.