TV

Almost every day, I submit a short e-mail to my local NBC affiliate. Most days they put my words on screen, and read them aloud. Today, they showed my offering, but they edited it down to the last sentence. The subject was, "Is the government more prepared for natural disasters than before Katrina?" Here is the full text of my response, which was short, but apparently not short enough for TV.

"All I ask of my federal government is that it protect me from foreign attack, and come to my rescue if I'm unfairly detained abroad. From my state and local governments, I expect police and firefighting services and prompt maintenance of the infrastructure. My responsibilities are to be gainfully employed, pay taxes, and monitor my elected officials so that I may vote for those who best understand my needs. If a natural disaster were to strike, I would be grateful for any help I received, but I realize that I alone am primarily responsible for my own health and welfare."