BOB GARFIELD:
This is On the Media. I'm Bob Garfield.
BROOKE GLADSTONE:
And I'm Brooke Gladstone with a couple of your letters - comments, actually, posted to our website at onthemedia.org. On our interview with Arlan Andrews about science fiction writers asked to futurecast by the Department of Homeland Security, Steven Maggi of Austin, Texas, writes, "I don't mind the government fishing for opinions from many fields, but they might want to be more balanced with the politics of the sci-fi authors they choose.

C'mon, Jerry Pournelle? That guy practically wants a military coup to happen in the U.S. OTM also seems to overlook how Larry Niven helped Rea gan practically bankrupt the country on Star Wars, as it was called.

Many of these things being pitched aren't terribly new. Sure, the government, especially this administration, can lack imagination as it's mired in current problems, but sci-fi writers don't exactly have a monopoly on good or bad future scenarios."

But Mark O’Green, of Trabuco Canyon, California, says he takes issue with Mr. Maggi's comments. Quote, "The whole point is to look ahead. Future scenarios, suggestions and supporting arguments should be examined, not immediately dismissed for political bias. I don't care about someone's politics. I want ideas that will work."

Keep those comments coming to onthemedia@wnyc.org or publish them right on the website at onthemedia.org. And we'd really appreciate if you'd tell us where you live and how to pronounce your name.
[MUSIC UP AND UNDER]