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From: rjnoe@ihlts.UUCP (Roger Noe)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Flame on "DEATH TO ALL ZAEON PIGS!"
Message-ID: <562@ihlts.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Sep-84 10:01:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlts.562
Posted: Wed Sep 19 10:01:30 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 09:04:00 EDT
References: <479@bentley.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 28

First off, I think David did a very good job of raising a thoughtful issue
and observing good netiquette.  Such consideration should be commended.

>	the message of the episode [Patterns of Force] is that
>	absolute power corrupts absolutely. The phrase shows the
>	negative effect of that absolute power.

I have to disagree with that.  The real message of the episode is that
those who fail to learn from history (in this case John Gill, a history
professor) are doomed to repeat past mistakes.

>	When reading the phrase, my perception is that it is glorifying
>	a bigoted ideal.  Am I over sensative due to my bias? Or do
>	others agree, that when taken out of context, this phrase is
>	not a positive Star Trek statement? 
>		DROYAN         ..ihnp4!bentley!dxa

I agree both ways.  You are probably a little sensitive because of personal
feelings but the statement IS very negative, taken out of context.  The point
to remember is that most readers of this newsgroup cannot take the quote out of
context, because they remember the episode, what happened to the Nazis and what
happened to Melakon and his regime.  It disturbed me a bit, too, the first time
I read it, but I have no rational objection to using a quote of any sort in
one's signature line.
--
"It's only by NOT taking the human race seriously that I retain what
    fragments of my once considerable mental powers I still possess."
Roger Noe			ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe