No Censorship in Cyberspace

* Considering that I am a registered religious Republican living in Orange County, not very often do I totally agree with Columns Left in The Times. However, a big thank you for Robert Scheer’s column (“Leery Parents Should Learn to Surf the Net,” June 20) on the perils of cyberspace and why censorship is definitely not the solution.

I am also a teacher in a brand new public high school where we have unlimited Internet access. We enjoy the access and grow and learn daily from the wealth of information and exchange that takes place on the Net. Yes, there are some distasteful forums and graphic/photo imagery floating around as well.

I have noticed something very insightful about the “bad” stuff. When I inform my students to just move on when they find a chat or a forum that is negative, hateful, or not beneficial to their queries, guess what, they move on. Just as people pass the Playboy magazines at the local grocery stores or the underage individual knows he cannot enter a liquor store or saloon and purchase the items there, the same principle is applied if taught to youngsters regarding the areas of the Net that may be a little racy.

I have found the teachers, parents and individuals who want to apply censor codes to the Net are actually the people who know very little about the abundance of positive elements available to them, if they only took the time to partake in this obvious tool of the future that may very well take humanity to a level of understanding that may finally break down all the barriers we have experienced in the world since the beginning of man.

My experience with the Net and on-line services pales next to Scheer’s years of experience, but I have utilized technology in the form of computers for the past 14 years. The enrichment to my life and my family has been exponential every year. When the whole world finally gets on-line, I believe we will see the true potential that our maker had intended--to love one another and to share in that great feeling together.

CINDY HODGES, Mentor Teacher

Aliso Niguel High School