Star Trek was born in the civil rights era and the message of freedom for all peoples has been at its core for over five decades. It has celebrated diversity and the fight for justice since Star Trek: The Original Series through to the current series of shows, which began with the launch of Star Trek: Discovery.
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry said:
“Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms.”
Recent events have demonstrated that the struggle for this future continues. During these difficult times, it is important to stand up for what you believe. The team members of TrekMovie.com and the Shuttle Pod have pooled individual contributions of $47 each – a number important to Star Trek – to make a joint contribution to the ACLU. We are joining with the moderators of Reddit’s Star Trek sub who have done the same in support of the ACLU.
Other members of the online Trek community have also been making contributions to groups they support. The Women At Warp team have contributed to the East Of The River Mutual Aid Fund from Black Lives Matter. The TrekCore team has donated to a collection of groups fighting against racism and police brutality. Other outlets in this joint effort doing their part include Priority One, TrekNews.net, Mission Log, Trekland’s Portal 47, and Memory Alpha.
Roddenberry also said, “until we can value the diversity here on Earth, then we don’t deserve to go into outer space and encounter the infinite diversity out there.” Together we hope as members of the extended Star Trek community, we can help move towards Gene’s vision of the future. We ask our fellow Star Trek fans to join us in making $47 contributions, or whatever you can, to the ACLU or another organization committed to anti-racism and justice.
Together the fan sites and podcasts stand with official Star Trek, as articulated on StarTrek.com and on official Star Trek Twitter.
Star Trek has always represented the hope of a better future for humankind, and we understand that until it's understood that Black lives do matter, that future cannot be achieved 🖖 pic.twitter.com/VNCwmcmyJS
— Star Trek (@StarTrek) June 2, 2020
We are all in this together. Black lives matter, let others be heard. Injustice and racism doesn’t define us.
Since that’s all you ever post about, it’s clear that those topics define you.
You don’t know me. Just speaking facts.
Paliza why are people like you here?? All you are doing is attacking people on this board who are speaking out and support what happened to George Floyd and the many, many, MANY people who has come before him.
Attacking a member here because they had the gall to say they are against racism and injustice while calling for unity?? Really?? This is hill you are standing on? If this topic bothers you so much, then maybe you shouldn’t click on it.
It is indeed troubling – and telling – that several of the fans on this page are making direct, personal attacks against those who stand in support of George Floyd and the countless others.
They are almost taking it as a personal affront.
To a racist, anti-racism IS a personal affront.
I don’t want to accuse anyone of being racist but yes it’s very suspect when you are attacking people here FOR simply speaking out against racism, abuse and inequality, ESPECIALLY on a Star Trek board. It’s like he’s offended or something, it’s just odd!
All people are asking for is for these types of issues to end. To stop seeing people, ALL people, killed for petty crimes and the unnecessary use of force these officers use. One unarmed man who was ALREADY handcuffed against four trained officers with guns, I mean exactly who posed the real threat here??? That’s the issue, this man did not have to die. And the guy who did kill him already had 18 complaints against him which clearly was ignored because he still had a job up until now.
This is what people are speaking out against and so upset for EVEN if you take the racial component out of it. It’s just utterly disgusting and wrong, period.
I can honestly say that, yes, love defines me. I’m against hate. So I would have taken that as a compliment. But you, Palizia, can go do inappropriate things to yourself.
Yes Palizia and we should all be thankful Faze stands up to injustice
This is awesome. Trek has always embraced progressive social values and equality. #BlackLivesMatter #NoJusticeNoPeace
Excellent news.
And a reminder that I should be looking to support organizations that advance human rights and work to address systematic racism here in Canada.
What human rights organizations are there in Canada?
Here in the US there is the NAACP, ACLU, and others.
Hi Ninja, thanks for your interest.
Here are a few:
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The John Howard Society of Canada
Federation of Black Canadians
Why ACLU? They defended right of white supremacists to march, such as at Skokie. Contributions need to go to a group like NAACP if you are trying to address the George Floyd situation.
Part of free speech is hateful speech. Unfortunately, even Illinois Nazis get the right to march peacefully. The ugly side of freedom.
White supremacists are awful people, and I’d like nothing better than to see them all vanish. But silencing them would be a big mistake, for legal reasons. The U.S. justice system is built on precedents. If you take away one group’s right to speak, protest or march, you set the precedent to do the same to others, which is disastrous. Sure, no one really wants to hear what the alt-right have to say–but if you prevent them from saying it today, you make it MUCH, MUCH, MUCH easier tomorrow for the government to take away that same freedom from groups who SHOULD be heard. The ACLU did the right thing. Civil rights are civil rights, and everyone in the United States (even bad people) need to be granted them–if for no other reason than than for a purely selfish reason, which is this: if you stop the bad people from marching, they can turn around and stop YOU from marching. That’s how the legal system works. I often see people complain about letting Nazis, the KKK, and other degenerates protet, but those complaining about that are (with no disrespect to you intended) merely demonstrating a lack of understanding of how the U.S. legal system works.
Hear, Hear. Well done Trekmovie.
And don’t let those fools crying “woke” or “virtue signalling” ( or far worse if you see the likes of Robert Meyer Bunett’s foul, foul tweet which amount to incitement to m*rder and violence ), drown out this very important message.
Sadly, there has been a rising tide of hate amongst the genre community for many years, and it is good that the true Trek Family can be a counter-point to that.
#blacklivesmatter
I don’t think anyone is going to be calling Trek Movie woke or Virtue signalling for embracing a great cause. But judging by your attempt to race bait and divide instead of unite I’m guessing you sit on the left.
Because the only thing I’ve seen conservatives condemn is the rioting and looting due to the impact it’s having on innocent people. Everyone agrees what happened in Minnesota was wrong.
Better luck next time child.
The fact that you’re triggered when I wasn’t talking about you, speak volumes “CHILD”.
Thank you for your courageous statements typed into your phone from your very safe, very privileged home. You care so much and it inspires us all.
So, then, tell us all what YOU’RE doing to help, other than attacking people online for non reason.
Says the person typing stupid statements into his phone from his very safe, very privileged home. You care so little it inspires us all to make up for your wasted effort.
Lukas, that was an incredible misrepresentation of the situation.
Rob’s paid his dues. He spent half his video today explaining and apologizing.
I’ve never much cared if anyone accuses me of virtue signalling. I mean, are they trying to clown people for not defect signalling or whatever the opposite is? That’s like homeless people making fun of those with homes for the stupidity of having a roof over their head. Try again, dipsticks.
Seriously. I completely agree, Bryant. The use of positivity as an insult is a bit of a head scratcher. If I’m going to signal something through my words and actions, virtue seems like a pretty good thing to signal. If I’m going to fight for something, social justice seems like a pretty good thing to fight for. So go ahead and accuse me of virtue signalling or being as SJW. I’ll take that as a complement, thank you very much.
THANK YOU TREKMOVIE! It’s nice to see all these Trek sites getting together to do this. It’s a reminder of the beautiful and progressive community we are a part of.
I already gave something through Reddit. There is still so much racism in this world and sadly very much in America. People need to know that black people are still victims in America and we are still targeted by the police. I want to make this clear, I know most police officers are good people and only want to do the right thing, but the system of racism still allow the bad ones to foster and what has ALWAYS been the problem. And needs to end!
I grew up in the hood and dealt with these issues all my life. I was in the middle of the Rodney King Riots when that happened. It’s sad we are still having these issues over 25 years later.
Black Lives Matter!!!!
With you all they way, Tiger2.
As to you Spock Jenkins! I’m happy to see so much of the country come together over this. Everyone is getting tired of it and not just us black folks.
BLACK LIVES MATTER
I also been seeing a few George Floyd/Gabriel Bell comparisons over the last few days. This one especially:
http://geekunifiedtheory.com/minneapolis-and-the-bell-riots/
It’s funny listening to some ‘Star Trek fans’ claim something like Discovery is ‘SJW’ when Star Trek has been doing it for DECADES in every show starting with TOS and even more so on DS9. There are so many reasons why this is my favorite Star Trek show and probably always will be. It spoke so so many of these issues of race and class so well, both directly and indirectly. I would love for Discovery to be able to tackle issues like how DS9 did it.
Fully agreed, Tiger2.
I live in Minneapolis so the George Floyd situation is personal to me. The Minnesota attorney general said today that the police officers involved will be charged with second degree murder and other charges. Black lives do matter.
I looked through the article there and the parallels are quite telling. This is real life not a fantasy. That’s the only difference.
Star Trek was born out of the civil rights era so the SJW argument is moot like you said. It was always about social justice, inclusion, and equality.
Wow man, you are indeed in the thick of it! And yeah I was SO happy to learn all the officers are getting charged now. That will calm things down a lot but I think the protests will stay for a long while. No one is going to feel satisfied until these people are convicted. And we need REAL reforms because we know this is going to keep happening as long as institutional racism is part of our society.
And yes, the ENTIRE premise of Star Trek is nothing but a SJW fest. It’s a VERY liberal show, always has been and hopefully always will be.
r/redshirtsunite, the leftist trek subreddit, posted links for donations 5 days ago.
Makes no sense why Americans keep voting for these corrupt Democratic City Councils who run racist police forces, target minorities, then call for those same targeted minorities to riot while then purposely not protecting others and then call for MORE government control and MORE money to them.
It’s like using minorities as slaves for selfish interests all over again.
How can anyone see police brutality and then say they want more power for these evil city councils who oversee the police?
Defund these police forces, councils, etc. Anyone who puts trust in these inherently racist organizations where their only values are concentrated power for themselves, using your tax funds in a pyramid scam that will certainly run out of money is beyond me.
Why people keep voting for this feed back loop is beyond me as well.
Right so instead let’s vote for the Republicans who don’t even try to hide their racism, including and especially Mr. hide in his bunker commander in chief trying to turn the military against his own people, getting peaceful protesters just STANDING tear gassed so he can take a picture in front of a church, in utter defiance of the word of God and the Bible he held in his hand.
Take your ridiculous political statements elsewhere. Breitbart comment section is a good place to start, you’ll probably find an audience there. Or maybe the fascism subreddit.
albatrosity
Your narrow view of Republicans could be mirrored into Democrats as well. To say if you are one party or the other or God forbid an independant thinker, you espouse to everything in their respective platforms. I know as a Republican, I am for religious freedom, right to bear arms, equal treatment under the law, law-abiding, hard-working, self-funded college graduate, who donates generously to multiple charities (black, white & Hispanic), anti-abortionist (ALL LIVES MATTER)(please don’t try to twist my meaning), responsible for my actions, and a devoted life-long Trekker since September 8, 1966.
Kinda breaks your myopic mold of Republicans?
UMM not at all haha you’re literally the white male stereotype in spades, it disgusts me a lot actually. If you think I’m a Democrat you’re wrong too — how’s that for mind blowing. Democrats are complicit with the neoliberal carnage of the past four decades. The difference is that some Dems actually have a moral conscience on full display. Your all lives matter messaging is so off the mark it defies comprehension. Please tell me: if a house is on fire, and someone says hey, we need to put out this fire, is your response to frown and be like…ALL HOUSES MATTER??? If someone is giving a eulogy to a child slain by police, and you grab the mic from the speaker at the podium and proclaim, “ACTUALLY ALL CHILDREN MATTER,” are you making any sense? OF COURSE all lives matter, moron. But all lives aren’t being targeted here. Black lives are. So say it: black lives matter. If you seriously can’t bring yourself to say that simple phrase, then guess what…you might be a — wait for it — R A C I S T.
Black lives matter, no one deserves the imposed hell of Marxist socialism. Not Russians, Chinese, black, white, Korean, Vietnamese, no one.
It’s you who sees statism brutality and says “more please as long as I’m in control, indeed how can I use this for my power grab”. Disgusting
not me mate
Wow. Literally everyone in this thread’s behaving like an arrogant condescending smart@$$. “Imposed hell of Marxist socialism”? Really, seriously? You had to go there?
It’s the wealthy, who casually buy up our democracy from us, who have socialism. Capitalism for us expendables of society, socialism for the rich. The people who scoff and sneer at us for acting “entitled” and wanting “socialism”, they already have it — complete and utter hypocrisy. They get rescued for wrecking the economy (which they’ll do every time); we get told -condescendingly- that any relief we accept we’ll just have to pay off again as part of our national debt. Incidentally it’s your wealthy socialist capitalists who want more police, to protect THEM from the rage of us expendables by trampling on everyone else while they steal your wealth from behind their gates and continue buying out Washington to make it legislatively impossible to touch them.
You want your income to actually keep up with the cost of living, right? (Right?) You want your health plan to actually fracking WORK for you the times that you’ll need it (after all YOU’RE the one who’s paying for it). You actually want your air, food and water free of harmful pollutants (Oh the temerity). You want some semblance of equality, and you’ve already admitted you want protection without abuse and brutality. If you’re going to be arrogant, have the arrogance to say you’re entitled (yes, entitled) to all these things.
I’ve beyond had it with fellow Americans who smugly, arrogantly and predictably vote against improving their own quality of life at every conceivable opportunity and THEN presume to condescend to anyone fool enough to actually fracking want those same standards improved as of yesterday.
And yes, Black Lives Matter.
THANK YOU SAM, someone had to say it. What ppl like Bremmon want is the police state. They cry like babies when the govt imposes a stay at home order to protect ppl from a deadly virus, then laugh at ppl getting tear gassed and beaten by thugs in riot gear because “they were told to stay home and shouldn’t have been out.” They want morons like Trump building walls around the White House so he can hide from the American people in his bunker like a coward. They vote for old white racists that siphon money from taxpayers into their own wallets. They are, simply put, uneducated, despicable and diseased, too blinded by anger and tribalism to realize they’re propping up the system that’s trying to suffocate them, like a cop with a knee on their necks. I can’t WAIT to see them lose in November.
Certainly hope we get rid of Peachface. I think David Frum said it right: may we never, ever mix tequila and quaaludes ever again.
Done! $47 to the ACLU on behalf of Star Trek Comics Checklist
cool, nice to see you drop by mark
Thank you for speaking out and supporting these important efforts. I would hope that among the fandom of a show that has championed diversity and equality from its beginning, these actions would be uncontroversial and universally praised. Unfortunately, there are some who just don’t get it.
Thanks for this post, but having been here on and off for over ten years (mostly off because of what I’m about say) I really wish you’d do more to make this space, this. space. that is all about a franchise that a remarkable man started in good part to promote inclusion and the unlimited potential of some of the best human qualities like joyous childlike curiousity, exploration, the hard work of understanding very different lifeforms…unwelcome to bigots.
Especially those I see come to fanspaces and derail under the guise of “raising differing political points of view”. I’ve noticed this in just about every aspect of Trek fandom online for a last few years especially…And I wish it would stop.
I keep to my close friend groups only, because of the proliferation of these people in a fandom and franchise of shows that supposedly goes against that.
I have to add that catering to all that obvious bad faith, has degraded so many Trekkie sites. The anger, skepticism, and shade every single time someone who isn’t white or male gets centered…It’s sad.
And worse still, because I remember in supposedly less-enlightened times, when you didn’t see all this in fanspaces. Back in the 90’s? You didn’t see this kinda stuff.
The hate that Janeway got in the 90s was pretty off-putting gingerly.
I have to agree though that I find it discouraging at best to come here or other boards and see them effectively bombed with posts (often from “new” posters) that are hostile to the ethos of the show from its earliest roots.
Yeah you also didn’t see cops choking the life out of people on video in the 90s, doesn’t mean it wasn’t happening
We did see the cops beating Rodney King on video though.
Honestly TrekMovie, I’m glad you posted this, but again you’re late to the punch. You should’ve posted about this like a week ago. But still, thank you for using your platform.
If yall are on Facebook and haven’t yet joined the group Star Trek Sh*tposting [without the * censor], get on it and find all the lovely anti-racist Star Trek memes to fight your toxic fandom frenemies who say stupid things like Blue Lives Matter and Antifa is terrorism
The IKV Phoenix and Ladies Who Trek, 2 Star Trek fan clubs in Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) are doing a week long fundraiser for an Ontario based group (Black Legal Action Centre). If you’re interested, find more info from the IKV Phoenix public page here….
https://www.facebook.com/ikvphoenix/