It sounds like a joke – Trekkies Against Torture. Of course, torture is no joke, but Star Trek can be laughable at times, and Trekkies, the avid fans of Star Trek, have been the butt of many jokes over the years.
I won’t laugh at this organization. Later this year, a new Star Trek film is going to be released, and it’s being produced and directed by J.J. Abrams, a man with a long history of producing “entertainment” that justifies the use of torture.
Many Trekkies are horrified at the idea of a Star Trek movie that glorifies torture, given the understanding that Gene Roddenberry had a vision of a progressive future free from cruelty and violence. So, they’re organizing a campaign to pressure those connected with the Star Trek movie’s production to stay true to the original vision of Gene Roddenberry, and not descend into a revenge obsessed bloodbath.
The Trekkies Against Torture site explains:
“Today the US is in a human rights crisis. The public knowledge of torture by US agents and the curtailing of fundamental rights cloaked under the guise of the “war on terror” is frankly a nightmare. The use of torture by those working for the US government is not new. But the public acceptance of it is shocking! Sadly, popular culture and the media have not confronted the crisis and instead shows like 24 and ALIAS have used the “War on Terror” as a backdrop for their stories. And instead of confronting the disgusting behavior of an Administration defending its use of torture and ignoring the Geneva Conventions, these TV shows generate fear, anger, feelings of revenge and righteousness. That is NOT Star Trek.”
Good for these Trekkies. I don’t share their obsession with all things Star Trek, but I respect their interest in applying the best aspects of their personal interests in order to promote the quality of life we enjoy in the real world.
Make it so, guys.
Absolutely! When we accept inhumane and criminal behavior (torture, rape, etc.) as “entertainment” we create a culture that accepts these values. The television show 24 is probably cited more often by pro-torture thugs than any reasoned argument, which just goes to show the power that media culture has to shape our reality for better or worse.
Jordan’s Queen Rania also cited 24 as an example of stereotypes about Arabs in her new YouTube video.
Star Trek was supposed to be a utopia–a vision of a future when all our present social problems had been solved on an even more complex level with multiple species. The clips here look like an anti-utopia.
The “it is a good day to die” guys were always the example of the species doesn’t play nicely with other species and needs more enlightenment. Now they are what we aspire to?
I say we need more vision of how to “live long and prosper”.
Even in slaughter porn like Rambo, you could tell the bad guys because they were the ones who tortured.
I really, really hope Star Trek doesn’t turn into torture porn like 24.
And yet, all those alien species on Star Trek have funny foreheads. The result of torture?
I have a big, fat suggestion for mot of you people out there; PLEASE don’t watch any of the new Star Trek movies anymore. Stick to the previous five series and the fan show Star Trek Plase II; that should keep all of you satisfied.
Something else that I came across that sums up people like this group and the ones who agree with them: