Library Lawsuits
Most of the following prose has appeared as blog posts on the St. Louis CofCC Blog. It is being republished here on the St. Louis CofCC Static Website due to the gravity of the subject matter.
CofCC Successfully Sues Libraries For Blocking Websites
(The following orginally appeared as a St. Louis CofCC Blog post on June 18, 2007)by Gordon Lee Baum
Prior to March 2006, access to the Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC) website was blocked from the public internet terminals in the University City Public Library, the Maplewood City Library and the Valley Park Community Library, plus about seven other libraries in the St. Louis, Missouri area. The Libraries utilized commercially available software filters to block “hate speech,” among other types of internet content. This software filter identified certain web sites, including the CofCC, as “hate speech.”
During March 2006, First Amendment Attorney Robert Herman filed suit
in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on
behalf of the CofCC and against the University City Public Library, the
Maplewood City Library and the Valley Park Community Library. The
other libraries, after being contacted, had dropped the block.
Following preliminary Court proceedings, the three libraries sued
entered into a consent judgment with the CofCC, agreeing to remove
the CofCC from the list of web sites blocked as “hate Speech” and allow
unlimited access to the CofCC from the Libraries’ public access
internet terminals. The Libraries also agreed to pay $15,000 in costs,
attorney fees and damages.
Gordon Lee Baum is the CEO of the Council of Conservative Citizens
Council of Conservative Citizens to Assist in other Library Lawsuits
(Note: The following dialogue was published to the CofCC National Website on March 24, 2006, by the CofCC.org Staff. It is being copied here on the static version of the website, and will remain here for quite some time, because of the gravity of the request and the subject matter. -- Webmaster)
Does your library block your access to political websites like CofCC.org? We can help!
Our federal lawsuit against four libraries in Federal Court, Eastern District of Missouri, is being widely reported in legal and librarian trade publications. Many libraries are scrambling to remove filters to avoid possible litigation. However, if your local library still refuses requests to unblock your web access, we can help you bring suit in your area. We can provide instructions on how to send demand letters, help you find a local lawyer, and provide that lawyer with the necessary legal paperwork. Call the Council of Conservative Citizens at 636-940-8474.
If you would to see the Council of Conservative Citizens carry on the flag of liberty and continue winning victories, please help us out. Join or make a donation today.
You can join or send a donation online with our Secure Order Form.
Read the American Library Association Press Release on our lawsuit.
Council of Conservative Citizens Files Civil Rights Lawsuits
View the Official Council of Conservative Citizens Press Release in PDF Format.
Other Library Lawsuit coverage on the St. Louis CofCC Blog, most in 2006:
March 14
March 15
March 18
March 24
March 25
March 29
April 8
March 5, 2007
(The following dialogue originally appeared as a March 13, 2006 Blog Post. Due to the gravity of the subject matter, it will be displayed here on the static website for the time being. -- Webmaster)
The National Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC) and St. Louis Area Civil Rights Attorney Bob Herman have filed Civil Rights Lawsuits against four Public Library Districts in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. The four districts are: Festus, Maplewood, Valley Park, and University City, all in Missouri.
The suits, filed today (March 13, 2006) in the Eastern Missouri District of the U.S. Federal District Courts, allege that the Library Districts are unconstitutionally blocking access to the internet website of the Council of Conservative Citizens. The suits seek injunctive relief, so that the libraries would provide at least one internet connection for adult patrons that is totally unfiltered so that adult patrons may access the website.
In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for Public Libraries to use internet filtering software to block access to certain websites for all patrons. Public Libraries and similar institutions must establish at least one unfiltered internet terminal for adult patrons to access content that would otherwise be filtered.
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