Star Trek TNG and politics.

[Ksail101]

I have been watching Star Trek The Next Generation and ran across an episode I must highly recommend. All Trekie jokes aside this episode is very fitting for this time and space we live in. 4th Season "Drumhead" ep 95.

A few select quotes when Cpt Picard is talking to Warf that stand out are

Picard: "The 7th guarantee is one of the most important rights granted by the federation. We can not take a fundamental principle of the Constitition and turn it against a citizen."

Warf (Klingon): "sir the federation does have enemies we must seek them out!"

Picard: "Oh yes. That's how it starts, but the road from legitimate suspicion to rampant paranoia is very much shorter than we think. Something is wrong here Mr Warf (and) I do not like what we have become."

A great job on Star Trek writers showing tyranny (and the power of fear based on speculation of a spy) in this episode by a hailed politician and Capt Picard holding firm to the constitution and freeing a man. I wonder if the conservative writers who wrote this could see the future or at the time of its writing saw the change in wind coming. From Bush Sr into Clinton is when this would have been written. Many of you may wonder to me calling the writers conservatives but besides the utopia of the "Federation" all the principles and underlying messages in all the episodes are very conservative ways of thinking and morals. Even the Federations "prime directive" is of a conservative basis. Anyway it's on netflix check it out.

[twyacht]

I am a Trekkie, liked Kirk more, but the writing and "story" in TNG was one I followed back in the day. I still find myself watching the re-runs.

Dharmak and Jilad At Tanagra is another great episode, however, the original "Trouble With Tribbles" is a true classic.

Picard at first seemed like a diplomat, but did have that "Kirk-ness" like ah screw it "Fire Photon Torpedoes" if needed.

But it did come down to Freedom, Of thought, of beliefs, of culture, and a bit of "Don't start no sh**, won't be no sh**"...

Thanks Ksail, and What do you get when you overfeed a Tribble?

"A fat Tribble",......Capt. James Tiberius Kirk....

[Pathfinder]

Darmok was an excellent episode, especially if you ignore the fact that they are speaking in cultural metaphors - IN ENGLISH!!! 

There's another episode featuring 2 older people alone on a devastated planet, called "The Survivors". It was also good, especially when the old guy tells Picard what he did to the Husnock.

However, all that said, Ksail, I do need to remind you that Gene Roddenberry was a flaming liberal and one-worlder who was commenting, if anything, on the US government under Reagan rather than in response to the more "progressive (i.e., fascist) leftists like we have now. You did find a good quote though, regardless of what alternate life form inhabits the WH at any given point in time.

[twyacht]

Funny Path, that the most sucessful shows/movies/books created by Lib Directors/Producers/writers go against their Lib beliefs.

Numerous examples. Stephen King, Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo, Quentin Tarantino, etc,..etc,...

Hypocrisy knows no bounds.

[tombogan03884]

Puzo was a liberal ?
Hell, I thought the last conservative dems in the country were the Mafia.

[Sponsor]

[Ksail101]

Yeah I GR was a nuts liberal. I think he was a socialist or communist. Depending on how you view some of his theories. And like I said the Federation utopia is very socialist. But it's funny how so many of the things the writers out in, weather they knew it or not, are very conservative. Dr Crusher teaching Wil Wheaton morals and conservative values. I don't know like I said I know many Trekies are liberals but the special message in most episodes are all conservative thinking. Just my thoughts anyway