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From: okie@ihuxs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Phaser that idiot! - (nf)
Message-ID: <375@ihuxs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Sep-83 15:41:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxs.375
Posted: Mon Sep 19 15:41:54 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Sep-83 16:33:15 EDT
References: <2879@uiucdcs.UUCP>, <200@ihlts.UUCP>
Organization: BTL Naperville, Il.
Lines: 56

I'd like to take issue with Roger Noe on a statement on a comment on a
comment on...you get the idea.  Anyway, the statement:

     "I would just as soon see Klingons and Romulans disappear
      entirely.  They detract from the principles and ideals of
      Star Trek."

I disagree (in a friendly manner, mind you!) for the following reasons:

     1.  To quote Kirk in Marshak and Culbreath's "The Price of the
         Phoenix,"  "It's a tough universe."  True -- and realistically,
         in such a tough universe, you're going to find cultures that are
         radically opposed to what you feel is right and good and so on.
         In other words, it ain't all good guys out there, pilgrim.  And
         if there are nasties out there (I mean, do you really believe
         that they're all like Spielberg's aliens out there?), you have
         to deal with them, period.  Especially if they're a spacegoing
         people.  You can't run, you can't hide -- so you deal with them.
         *That's* where the true test of your "principles and ideals"
         comes in.  If there's no one to play them off of, how do you
         show them?

     2.  As far as the "principles and ideals" go, one of the underlying
         themes of "Star Trek" is that of an imperfect humanity pulling
         itself out to the stars, and learning how to deal with not only
         what they find out there, but what they find *in themselves*.
         Again, you need to have someone like the Klingons (I'll get to
         Romulans in a moment) to bounce that theme off of.  There are
         things about the Klingons that no human will admit to -- but
         they are still there.  Again, you have to face both of those
         sides, or you'll never learn anything.

     3.  Finally, classing the Klingons with the Romulans is unfair.
         They are two completely different cultures with two completely
         different aims.  Also, they are shrouded in more mystery, as
         shown by the fact that we only saw them in two episodes
         ("Balance of Terror" and "The Enterprise Incident").  I will
         grant you that the Klingons are a lot easier to write about,
         because they are less complex.  If you want more insight on
         the Romulans (I don't want to lecture!), I suggest you read
         the two "Phoenix" books by Marshak and Culbreath and also 
         "The Web of the Romulans" (author's name escapes me)...
         but bear in mind that they are an offshoot of the Vulcan race,
         a warrior culture consisting of a people with tremendous
         stamina, intelligence, and honor.  They are not so much villains
         as anti-heros (or something like that).

I personally think that the Klingons could have been thought out more;
they're almost "too nasty."  But the Romulans had great potential -- too
bad it wasn't realized until after the series ended, and then in the fiction
published much later.

I'll get off my soapbox now (*sigh*)

B.K. (I'll argue about anything) Cobb
>:<