Check This Out!

My secret fantasy is that somebody someday will pull my library records. I would just love to see the looks on their faces when they try to figure out what on earth I'm up to.

"Look here, she checked out Helter Skelter on May 8, 2005. Could be she's like these other nuts and has a Manson thing."

"Huh. Same day, she also checked out Sisterhood of the traveling Pants and Bible Archaelogy . "

"What kind of nut is this woman?"

See, I just think that looking at people's library records is going to confuse more than it will help.

In all seriousness, I don't think it's wrong to expect government agents to view records of books checked out at libraries. People are always spewing the meme about trading liberty for security and how that's so bad. Well, for many years now we've had the security of being able to read whatever we want for free. As a person who checks out an average of four books a week, I sincerely appreciate that security. I think it is rather childish indeed to have basked in the largesse of society and then get high-handed about my privacy rights in this particular instance.

Bookstores, on the other hand, I have a problem with. If I chose to buy this book and this book I reserve the right to do so without the government assuming I am having unlawful porcine relations.

In short, how I spend my money should be my business. You have every right to demand an accounting of how I spend yours.