Fans of the original Star Trek know that Roddenberry was a pioneer in many ways, especially gender and ethnic integration. For example, he was the first to place not only a woman, but a BLACK woman very highly in a position of authority as Communications Officer. He also introduced America to the first on-screen kiss with a black woman (Uhura) and a white man (Kirk).

The bridge of the Enterprise was a veritable melting pot, with Japanese, Russian, Irish, Indian, Scot, African, and other nationalities in support or spot roles. The biggest problem was integrating a true alien, one from not only a totally different culture but a distinctly alien species.

Without listing the phobias he knew would be triggered by something spectacularly non-human in the ensemble, here’s how Roddenberry handled it: he ran a sort of end-run past the prejudices, fears, tribalism, and every other sort of neurotic misgivings humans automatically surrender to when presented with the unknown . . . he gave his alien a human mother to dilute and mollify the threatening nature of something completely different.

One of my students made a direct parallel between Spock and Jesus, arguing that humans could no more deal with a creature from another planet as a member of a starship crew than they could a real god walking among them. So to remove the filters from their eyes and the neurotic barriers from their brains, men were allowed to experience otherworldly creatures in an almost non-threatening, nearly human form, just as God had done to facilitate His walking, breathing, talking presence among them.

He (the student) predicted that the first viable African-American candidate for PotUS would most likely be very light-skinned, and possibly no more than half black. He also said that he would have to be a Democrat and powerfully charismatic, slender, eloquent, and poised. He missed the boat on age somewhat, saying that the man would have pure white hair and be in his 60s. But he said the man’s wife would be extremely well-educated and very attractive.

He also said that the campaign would fail, basically because not enough whites and Latinos would vote for him, even though the vote count would be fairly even overall. He didn’t give a number in his paper, but he apparently felt that the popular vote would be closer than the electoral.

Damned good paper for a 19-yr-old kid on a routine compare-contrast assignment. Found out later his brother had submitted the same paper in his English class at FSU. Yeah, I roughed him up on it. Made him do another paper. Actually, it was his high-school teacher who dropped the dime on him and clued me in to start with. Asked me if I’d seen a kid named _________ in my classes, and when I said, “He’s there now,” she told me he often recycled his older brother’s stuff in her classes.

Made us wonder where the older kid got the idea in the first place.

This is just more of the 'me to' leadership in the democrat party. Not a gram of guts or loyalty to anyone, especially the American people, in the party.

If you are black you gotta vote black

The scarey truth folks. This is what I fear the most.

Yep! Empty rhetoric that sounds like he's actually saying sumpin'.

Empty rhetoric from an empty suit.

I'll have a liberal sandwich with a side order of hope and some change for a drink

Y'see Bill Clinton was the man from Hope but I am the man with hope who will deliver the change that everyone has been hoping for. I embody hope. I embody change. I am the hope that is change and here's hoping that you will vote for me so I can give you the change we have all been hoping for.

Denny-
BWAAAAAAAAAAHAHHAHAHAAHAHA! Invoice is in the mail...

CD - Sometimes the shit just writes itself.

when I hear obama I hear: Hopey hope hope. change changey change change. America. hope change hope hope hope.

..........but this is pretty much what CD just said.

After the Obamarangutan gets done taxing us, change is all we're going to have left. And then he's going to keep the change.

Sometimes the shit just writes itself.

2nd Invoice to follow...

At the risk of sounding morbid, I wonder when they'll try to bump Obama off ? Let us not kid ourselves that the Clintons would NEVER do such a thing...This is for ALL the marbles, boys, & Hillary has wanted this all her life...

ET, what about the Blue Lady? Sounds like the older brother watched some Star Trek, ate some shrooms and later saw the Omen. Or maybe he just misunderstood Koestler's book about the mid-wife toad? Maybe I did? I read it when I was 10. Maybe the kid was more accurate in predicting Bush's Cabinet? Maybe he was thinking of Colin Powell? I'm not big on religion, but one movie that was (to me) spiritual and Christ-like was E.T. go figure huh?
I'd vote for a black person if he or she were a qualified conservative. I voted for Romney because I liked his biz savvy, although I preferred Duncan Hunter.
I can't listen to OBlabba, he drones on for 40 minutes like John Kerry and he doesn't really say a damn thing. Other than the obvious vote for me and hope shall set us free. Free my big white butt! None of us can afford his broad sweeping socialism and all of the puppies that he wants to buy the world in the name of Whirled Peas.
I'm still not counting Hillbillary out either. She'll win it dirty before she ever plays fair. This could become quite entertaining...

Yeah, he's supporting Obama and saying good things about him...he's facing the first real challenge for his House seat, and he's afraid that he's going to lose it if he doesn't.

Contempt for Hillary is nearly as bad as hatred for Bush. Cheering that she is losing support is like shooting yourself in the foot; look at the alternative, Barak Obama. Hillary doesn't frighten me nearly as much as Obama.

The laundry lists of Clinton wrongs doesn't make up for the fact Obama has nothing in his background to give him credibility. In fact the more I learn about the man, he is absolutely frightening.

I agree with Vicki. Hillary is scary but thoughts of BO as president keeps me awake at night. There is nothing there. There.

Sandy G is right. The Clintons had an agenda since youth. It was one or the other. He pulled it off. He got impeached but he is still there with his silly grin. Standing next to respectable President Bush Sr. asking us money for the victims of Katrina. Nobody threw rotten eggs at him. She said, "They're all gullible fools. I'm the goody-goody woman who forgave the scum. People will think that I deserve the presidency. Now it's my turn."

Beware USA...

Claudia - I fear we're screwed no matter who wins. It's now who will do the least damage.

But Denny, isn't that pretty much the choice in every election? You know, pick the lesser of two evils.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTViZjhhNGI1Y2QxYjE0ZDc0YmMwMjJiNmUyZjQ3MmU=

hypocrites of the worst kind...

Denny - Forgive me for saying that you're a bunch of assholes. (I'm not even sure how to spell the word.) You're so bloody negative all of you. Build up your candidate. Find what's good about him. Forgive what you don't like. Be proud of the Republican Party. Rally your troops. You'll never get a god as a candidate. Fight for the one you have. He is flawed but more decent and experienced than the other side. He is not going to do the job alone. There are good, able men in the Party. Get moving. Promote them. There's only one way that a Party is allowed to loose, and it's with honors, after you've done EVERYTHING to win.

Or leave the damn party. Be independant. Moan constantly about what's happening in your country. Do nothing, nothing, nothing but moan, moan, moan.

I'm drinking a California Shiraz. It's very good. A country who can produce wines nearly as good as French wines is worth fighting for.

Remember Henry of England. He got the country, and the girl.Get going guys. Your country is worh it.

Guys mean also all of you, gals. You're not going to let one of those two good-for-nothing-people beat your candidate without a fight, are you?

Claudia - If it's from California it's a Syrah. Shiraz is Australian. I've grown quite partial to both Syrah and Grenache. That's why I like Rhone wines so much.

vicki - It's easy to talk like that when you're a millionaire. Rachel Lucas has a few words about that.

Denny - The bottle is right in front of me. It's 2005-Vendange: California Shiraz. Bottled by Vendange, Wine Cellars, Lathrop, CA 95330. I'M NOT DRUNK YET. You're avoiding the subject.

Denny - I'm also trying a 2005-Shiraz-Grenache from France. Le Petit Sommelier/PAYS D'OC. 13% alc. I'M NOT DRUNK YET. I could drink you under the table. I'm a French-Canuck.

You're avoiding the subject. It's your privilege. It's your blog.

Claudia - I've never met a Canuck (French or otherwise) who couldn't drink me under the table.

Our problem is that we don't really have a candidate. McRINO is a Dimocrat. He's just not as liberal as Thunder Thighs and Jug Ears. No matter who gets elected, we're screwed. I guess we should just lay back and enjoy it.

Denny - You're not going to vote?

Claudia - I'll vote.

Denny - If you don't fight for the guy you're voting for, you might loose your vote. You're going to leave the fighting to other people?

Well, here he talks, and he says something - a lot of something stoopid, in fact. It needs to circulate, I think, so people can see what an ass this guy really is.

Stolen from nicedoggie.net, btw.

Denny - The California Shiraz has more dryness than the French. I like my red wine very dry. USA wins this one. Maybe I should buy a Rhone:Syrah and Grenache next time.

I really think that if/when B. Hussein Obama faces McCain, the racist Democrats won't be able to vote for Obama.

Claudia.....

The more I read your posts & reflect upon my own experiences with the French Canadian people, the more I think we the United States should trade Massachusetts & the LeftCoast to Canada for Quebec.

You & the rest of the Quebec population would be welcome & appreciated as a part of the United States of North America.......maybe some of the other provinces would join in.

dudley1 - British Columbia might like to go. Quebec? I doubt it. We love you a lot, a lot more sometimes than the rest of Canada. But we insist on the French language being spoken by all, and the Quebec Culture being admired. We actually want to be a Nation, Masters in our own house. We never blended with Canada. We would be a pain in the neck for USA. Our Prime Minister has to speak French to be elected. And French is guaranteed from sea to shining sea. It's in the Canadian Constitution, and all the cereal boxes sold in the country are bilingual. It's grossly exaggerated of course. Specially when you travel in the Province and not a sign (highways and streets) offers English. But as people, we're a great gang, warm-hearted and a lot of fun.

We do love the Americans!

Claudia....

My post to you was in jest.....I really do like the people of Quebec as I have spent many trips up there & yes I am familiar with the bilingual road sign`s as well as Quebec`s sense of independent nationalism.

I used to post on another website where there were a number of Canadian posters who were rabidly anti-American.....most were from Vancouver & doubt British Columbia would ever if permitted vote for union with the United States as long as Vancouver were included in the mix.

I do think Saskatchewan,Manitoba & Alberta are another matter as they feel quite alienated by events in Ottawa which pertain to their sense of individualism & belief for interference from the Eastern establishment. I think many in these Provinces identify very close with those in the American border States.

dudley1 - My 92 y.o. sister (much, much, much older than I!) was on the phone. I told her about you. She says "Allo", and that's nice to be wanted by an American! You are right about the West. It always felt alienated. But our Prime Minister is now from Calgary, Alberta. Everyone down there likes it. Newfoundland, which was an independant colony till 1949, was courted by both the States and Canada. It opted for Canada. Sometimes the people there are very sorry. None of the financial promises came through. It's a beautiful, very special place, but also very poor. I think they would have done much better becoming a State instead of our 10th Province.

Imagine! Discussing which one of my provinces might be added on your flag! I hope the RCMP is not reading GOC's blog. If they knock at my door, I'll call you for help...

I'm in agreement with El Rushbo. That all Ohio and Texan Repubs vote for Hillary in their open primary. THIS may push her over the top or closer to the nomination. If nothing else it will drag out the DRAMA which the Dems have going. This will not only lead to more infighting, but a meltdown in the Democratic party between Centrists and the Lefty Loons. I don't like Mcpain, but if it takes some underhanded dirty tricks to help him win it-I'm on board. Why the hell not? Politics is a blood sport especially this late in the Jihadists and Iranians want us dead World War Fight for Civilization. Besides, for how many years have the commie libtards been accusing Repubs for playing dirty anyway? I say in the words of Alice Cooper, "No more Mr Nice Guy"!
Canadian Claudia is counting on us and so am I.

KO Clinton!!!!

I personally hope every Clinton Hater comes out in Texas & Ohio & votes against her to end her presidential quest....remember if you will the mistake Herr Hitler made when he attacked the Soviet Union without first eliminating England .....it came back to haunt him.

Besides with Hillary finished off , it leaves only Obama to have the harsh light of reality shining on him.......I do not think he will prosper there as he seems to work best in the shadows.