It's not a criticism, it's an observation.
TV rules!

Mike Cox

I awakened with a gasp. My heart raced, and my breathing was rapid. I was involved in a nightmare. Rachael Ray and Debbie Travis were having a catfight over me. They were pulling hair and throwing swatches of cloth and Hamburger Helper at each other. It was horrible.

Television is taking over my life. I make plans each day to come home in the evening, write a little, exercise a little, play some guitar. But after dinner, I veg out in front of the Sony, remote in one hand, and try to decide between Mythbusters reruns and the last half of Histories' Mysteries. I may need professional help.

My generation, and every one since, was raised on TV. We never knew what it felt like to sit on the porch, listen to crickets and whippoorwills, or read ourselves to sleep. Television controls everything we do and believe.

Walter Cronkite told us what happened, Arthur Godfrey told us what to purchase, and Johnny Carson told us what was cool. Each generation since had someone who did the same for them.

We live in a world where the broadcast image controls every aspect of our lives. We elect the leader of our country based on how presidential he looks. TV personalities, many of them serving community service sentences for criminal offenses, tell us how to raise our kids, treat our neighbors, and relate to our environment.

If you are over 35 and watch an average amount of television, your world has been shaped for you by the images, both blatant and subtle, you have watched since mom first placed you in front of Sesame Street.

You probably think all hunters are sinister, inbred beings who like to kill anything that will bleed. You most likely believe all corporations are evil places, infested by male egomaniacs who want to control the world no matter what group of indigenous people get wiped out.

You are sure there are internet predators crawling around like ants, doing everything they can to abuse any child not accompanied by parents at all times. Any event with video; whether fire, car chase, or dramatic cat rescue, is more newsworthy and important than those without film at 11.

Children do not need fathers. Most men are too violent, evil, or just plain stupid to be trusted with raising kids to adulthood. This process, which involves careful nurturing, heart to heart talks, and lots of self- esteem, is best handled by women. All pro athletes are either steroid abusers or gangbangers, except professional golfers. They are all clones of Jack Nicklaus.

Anything that happens in New York City is of greater importance than a similar event anywhere else, and rich, famous, and beautiful people hurt more than the rest of us. Their opinions on world events are also more important and insightful.

There are other examples I will get to later. But my new weather radio just went off, and I'm scared. I have to tune into the local news so they can save me from harm.