Let me respond only to two points in your message. The rest seem
hardly worthy of response.

I am not, as you imply, going for "brownie points" from anyone. I
am telling a story. I am telling the story that I've wanted to tell for
seven years. I have no interest in currying favor from any group, any
organization, any fringe or mainstream elements. You don't work for seven
years to create the chance to tell your own story just to turn it over to
the influence of others.

Did it every occur to you -- for even a *smidgen* of a second -- that
maybe, just maybe, what I'm doing with B5 is being done BECAUSE IT ADVANCES
THE STORY? Because it is a legitimate part of the story? You seem to
think that if someone does something in this area, it HAS to proceed from
either a personal political agenda, or the enforced agenda of others.

Which is a load of absolute and utter crap. I don't care who signs
on board, or who's offended. That's not my concern. My concern is in
telling a story, as best as I am able. Period.

To your second point, that if violence on TV is open to congressional
inquiry, then nothing is wrong in "questioning (how) political and social
issues are presented in entertainment programming."

Well, I'm glad someone has finally come out of the woodwork on this
one.

This is exactly what happens in this situation. Everybody waves the
big VIOLENCE bugaboo around to get pressure built behind them...and then
they begin to use this huge stick to go after their OTHER agendas, the
legislation of ideas, curtailment of notions and issues that they don't
personally like. It's happened again and again, in comics, in kid's
programs, in libraries across the country, in the recording industry, and
now they're trying to do it to TV.

The hard part is always getting them to ADMIT that this is on their
minds.

Thank you for breaking the silence.

jms

From: straczynski@genie4.geis.com