Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihlts.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe 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