charonn0

That’s an awful comparison. The Maquis are not a separate, independent culture being dominated or obliterated by another. They were already Federation citizens, born on Federation worlds into Federation culture and society, subject to Federation laws, educated by their own parents and family in Federation values, and the Federation enabled and supported their colonization efforts. The Maquis are a product of the Federation’s culture not a victim of it.

And they do have self-determination. They can stay in the DMZ on their planets if they want to, but there are consequences of that choice. And if they do leave the DMZ then they would not even have change their preferred lifestyle. There are any number of uninhabited planets they could relocate to, found new colonies, etc. They have so many options and opportunities open to them that their grievances, however valid they would be under real-world circumstances, seem childish and selfish particularly when the alternative is continuing a decades-long war.

The Maquis didn’t start the war with the Cardassians.

But they did know the border was in dispute, and had been in dispute for decades, before they colonized the area. They can’t feign surprise that the border might move if and when the dispute ended.

The Federation traded away their planets without even giving them a seat at the table.

They did have a seat at the table. They just didn’t get their way. That sometimes happens, and it doesn’t mean the process was unfair.

In a fully-automated luxury communist utopia, the Maquis are selfish assholes. Clinging to a planet because of the inconvenience of having to relocate. A planet which was never theirs to give or take in the first place. They talk a big talk about being “farmers who made something of the land,” and maybe that’s true. But they have replicators; farming is a hobby, not a livelihood.

Human, Vulcan, Bolian, etc. Maquis could lead happy, safe lives if only they were willing to lead happy, safe lives. They are not oppressed; they are not fighting in a righteous cause.

Bajorans, such as Ro, have different motivations. Bajor is not a party to the Federation-Cardassian Treaty, and Bajoran colonies were not sacrificed. Ro’s motivations are sympathy for the Maquis and hatred for Cardassians. Understandable and relatable motivations, but not heroic.

A keyboard? How quaint.

I like TOS Operation: Annihilate! because it presents a situation where a starship captain would be justified in issuing General Order 24. I’m disappointed that they didn’t actually mention GO24 in the episode, but my headcanon is that the crew were all reluctant to mention it by name.

I think GO24 is deeply misunderstood. It’s only ever been presented as a thing that a bad, crazy captain would order; as grounds for mutiny. So why would Starfleet even have such an order on the books? I think it’s actually designed for situations like the one in this episode: to prevent the spread of dangerous life forms.

This interpretation also enhances my enjoyment of another TOS episode, A Taste of Armageddon. In this episode, Kirk actually invokes General Order 24. Scotty understands that Kirk needs leverage to bluff with, and plays along. Bluffing the bad guys by citing a public health ordinance is classic Kirk. See also Corbomite and Fizzbin

I usually go to wunderground.com

Baked green apples with cinnamon. Silver dollar cornbread pancakes. Thick, steaming pea soup with hot dog chunks.

Now I’m hungry and I miss my grandma :(

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.”

Noo-clee-ar… wessels

PSA: There’s a special screening of Star Trek IV in San Francisco on June 13 to honor the 40th anniversary. Nick Meyer (writer/producer on IV) will be there.

www.voguemovies.com/nicholas-meyer

I contend that it is not actually missing, it’s just not visible from that perspective. When I recreate the shot in Google Earth only the extreme north tip of New Zealand is actually visible:

Image

Data has always understood humor. He may not experience the emotion of mirth, but you don’t need that to understand humor. He is pretending not to understand as a practical joke.

At least Alexander got to join the House of Martok.