What are your controversial Star Trek opinions?

[Weyoun 251]

Hint: It's still regulation, Admiral.


I gather that the ban on beards in the U.S. Navy started three years before Riker grew his. So give it time.

Here's one:

The TMP uniforms are more "militaristic" than the TWOK ones. Yes, there are some "far out" 70's tunics that we see on background characters (I think Sulu might wear one at one point when Kirk first appears on the bridge) but all the ones that we see front and center are all navy grays and whites with classic braid (in both the military AND Star Trek sense) and creases. The short sleeves Kirk and Sulu wear look like Navy Summer uniforms (and are THE coolest uniforms in ALL OF STAR TREK). And if the much lauded Admiral uniform doesn't look like military spit and polish then I don't know what does.

TWOK doesn't look like any contemporary military (even if Meyer tried to shoehorn some into it in The Undiscovered Country because - BAD GUYS). They get lightly compared to Napoleonic era uniforms but not in any specifics, just that they're big and heavy. They get compared to Canadian mounties a lot. That's closer to the military I suppose. But there's a much better argument that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are not a military than there is that Starfleet isn't one.

Might be that UK rules differed so apologies for a) not stating clearly that was where my point originated and also b) for being wrong

 

[Weyoun 251]

BAME?

Black and minority ethnic

 

[1001001]

I agree with the point about people telling BAME women (and men) how to have their hair is problematic but was giving the benefit of the doubt that the poster meant it from a "Starfleet is the military" POV

Let's not start that again...

 

[Weyoun 251]

Let's not start that again...

This is the controversial opinions page...I think it is a topic of great import and that the discussions always hold value and are never circular or tedious

 

[Nyotarules]

Yep - as are many of the characters across the series.

I agree with the point about people telling BAME women (and men) how to have their hair is problematic but was giving the benefit of the doubt that the poster meant it from a "Starfleet is the military" POV

Even if Starfleet is the military, expecting the organisation to base its hair rules on the assumption that all humans and all aliens have a certain hair type and length would be ridiculous and exposes that the organisation is too Euro- Humancentric since I think its military rules are based on the US/GB navies

 

[1001001]

This is the controversial opinions page...I think it is a topic of great import and that the discussions always hold value and are never circular or tedious

 

[Weyoun 251]

Even if Starfleet is the military, expecting the organisation to base its hair rules on the assumption that all humans and all aliens have a certain hair type and length would be ridiculous and exposes that the organisation is too Euro- Humancentric since I think its military rules are based on the US/GB navies

I have made that assumption based on how it is presented but you make a fantastic point that you would expect them to have moved beyond that by that point

 

[Prometheus59650]

I've always considered Starfleet to be a military organization, regardless of Roddenberry's words. If he had intended to show that Starfleet wasn't the military, then he had failed spectacularly in my eyes.

Starfleet is military. You can say that the military aims are not the SOLE aims of this service, so it's not QUITE as we understand a military service today, but, to put it simply Starfleet fights the Federation's wars.

That's your military's job.

 

[1001001]

Starfleet is military. You can say that the military aims are not the SOLE aims of this service, so it's not QUITE as we understand a military service today, but, to put it simply Starfleet fights the Federation's wars.

 

[cooleddie74]

Got my draft notice. I get to serve on a science ship commanded by Reginald Barclay.

DAMMIT.

 

[Weyoun 251]

Not a controversial opinion but you may have the best gif game on the board

 

[Oddish]

Trek needs more 'afro hairstyles are normal' not less of it, and I am glad from a TV production perspective Sonequa Martin Green and Oyin Oladejo are flying the 'this is how (some) black women look'. The less pressure on black (and some white) and curly haired female actors to straighten their hair to fit some stupid made up ideal, the better society will be for it, we have been culturally and racially gaslighted in this area for too long.

Damn right. In retrospect, maybe the only downside of Sir Mixalot's "Baby Got Back" video is that the model in it is wearing a straight hair wig. Though admittedly, the original look proposed for her was even worse.

But I still give the song kudos for targeting another "fashion ideal", and a much more dangerous one at that.

Even if Starfleet is the military, expecting the organisation to base its hair rules on the assumption that all humans and all aliens have a certain hair type and length would be ridiculous and exposes that the organisation is too Euro- Humancentric since I think its military rules are based on the US/GB navies

Really. Like I said, we need more Starfleet guys with mullets. Or ponytails. Or Snoop Dogg cornrows.

Starfleet is military. You can say that the military aims are not the SOLE aims of this service, so it's not QUITE as we understand a military service today, but, to put it simply Starfleet fights the Federation's wars.

Starfleet is PARAMILITARY. They observe a military rank and command structure, they wear uniforms, and they have grooming norms. However, they were created to serve a non-military mission.

 

[Tallguy]

they were created to serve a non-military mission.

Never mind. I will follow the example of my betters.

 

[Oddish]

Never mind. I will follow the example of my betters.

Still waiting for you to do it.

The fact that Starfleet isn't a military is made evident in their ships. A Galaxy class ship went toe to toe with Jem'Hadar fighters, and didn't destroy one of them. The Defiant, a fraction of the Galaxy's size, obliterated such a ship in one fierce phaser barrage. Because the Defiant was a purpose-built warship. If that Galaxy class had been built with similar intent, those three fighters would have been atomized in ten seconds flat.

 

[Dee1891]

I realize that it's one of the more highly regarded episodes of TNG, but I have never liked the show's Season Six episode, "Chain of Command". I've always found it contrived.

 

[Oddish]

Best part of it was Data finally getting to be first officer and totally rocking it.

 

[Weyoun 251]

I realize that it's one of the more highly regarded episodes of TNG, but I have never liked the show's Season Six episode, "Chain of Command". I've always found it contrived.

I agree with that but I really liked Jellico - although that may be because I remember him as Senator Kinsey from SG1 and he just plays that bastard role so well

 

[Lord Garth]

HThe TMP uniforms are more "militaristic" than the TWOK ones. Yes, there are some "far out" 70's tunics that we see on background characters (I think Sulu might wear one at one point when Kirk first appears on the bridge) but all the ones that we see front and center are all navy grays and whites with classic braid (in both the military AND Star Trek sense) and creases. The short sleeves Kirk and Sulu wear look like Navy Summer uniforms (and are THE coolest uniforms in ALL OF STAR TREK). And if the much lauded Admiral uniform doesn't look like military spit and polish then I don't know what does.

I never thought about it like that before. Good take.

TWOK doesn't look like any contemporary military (even if Meyer tried to shoehorn some into it in The Undiscovered Country because - BAD GUYS). They get lightly compared to Napoleonic era uniforms but not in any specifics, just that they're big and heavy. They get compared to Canadian mounties a lot. That's closer to the military I suppose. But there's a much better argument that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are not a military than there is that Starfleet isn't one.

This one I have thought about before. I think Nick Meyer wasn't trying to make it look like a 1980s military, but an 1800s.

 

[Prometheus59650]

However, they were created to serve a non-military mission.

What they were originally created to do is irrelevant at best and naive at worst. I do not imagine in a million years, given Earth's history that anyone sat down and seriously suggested that all Starfleet was ever going to be called upon to do was explore.

Even if some idiot, in his naivete did that, the galaxy disabused them of that notion. Also:

par·a·mil·i·tar·y
[ˌperəˈmiləˌterē]
ADJECTIVE

1. (of an unofficial force) organized similarly to a military force:
   "soldiers and police have been killed in conflicts with the drug cartels and their paramilitary allies"

So, then I ask you, what is the UFP's OFFICIAL apparatus for fighting wars?

Added:

{The fact that Starfleet isn't a military is made evident in their ships. A Galaxy class ship went toe to toe with Jem'Hadar fighters, and didn't destroy one of them. The Defiant, a fraction of the Galaxy's size, obliterated such a ship in one fierce phaser barrage. Because the Defiant was a purpose-built warship}

Because the Federation had months to study the weapons previously completely unknown when the Odyssey encountered them.

 

[fireproof78]

Still waiting for you to do it.

The fact that Starfleet isn't a military is made evident in their ships. A Galaxy class ship went toe to toe with Jem'Hadar fighters, and didn't destroy one of them. The Defiant, a fraction of the Galaxy's size, obliterated such a ship in one fierce phaser barrage. Because the Defiant was a purpose-built warship. If that Galaxy class had been built with similar intent, those three fighters would have been atomized in ten seconds flat.

Except, the Galaxy class is expected to be a match as a show of force against a Romulan battle cruiser as described by Picard.