Is Deep Space Nine racist?

[Nerys Myk]

My point is, that today-right now 2017, you go places and there are people who look sort of Asian and have last names like Norburg, Thompson, Hurst, there are people that look black with last names like Sanchez and Gerstitz.
Don't you think in 400 years humans will be a melee of colors and names?

And as my examples illustrated ,Trek has that covered. There are "Africans" with "European" names. Pan-Asians with multi ethnic names. "Asians" with "European" names. And at teast one European looking woman with a Polynesian name. Then there is Khan with his odd jumble of names, accent and features.

 

[Nakita Akita]

And as my examples illustrated ,Trek has that covered. There are "Africans" with "European" names. Pan-Asians with multi ethnic names. "Asians" with "European" names. And at teast one European looking woman with a Polynesian name. Then there is Khan with his odd jumble of names, accent and features.

I only have ever seen Next Generation and Deep Space 9.
I have never seen any other shows.
Well I have seen some of the TOS episodes but I don't remember some of the characters. But on that one there is Scotty, who is Scottish, accent and all.
And there is the Russian guy, accent and all.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I only have ever seen Next Generation and Deep Space 9.
I have never seen any other shows.
Well I have seen some of the TOS episodes but I don't remember some of the characters. But on that one there is Scotty, who is Scottish, accent and all.
And there is the Russian guy, accent and all.

And the problem with that is?

 

[Bad Thoughts]

And the problem with that is?

Nakita Anita is pointing out that the franchise is not "colorblind:" it takes an interest in the portrayal of race and ethnicity, and how such issues might become complicated in the future.

 

[Nakita Akita]

And the problem with that is?

With one world why would people still be Scottish or French? Do people in Hungary refer to them selves as the Goths. Or do proper in northern France call themselves Franks? Spoke to any Prussians lately?
400 years from now the places in Next Gen won't exist.
The premis is ludicrous.

 

[Nerys Myk]

With one world why would people still be Scottish or French? Do people in Hungary refer to them selves as the Goths. Or do proper in northern France call themselves Franks? Spoke to any Prussians lately?
400 years from now the places in Next Gen won't exist.
The premis is ludicrous.

Are you serious? People have and and will continue to break themselves down into groups based on geography, culture and language. 400 years will not erase that. A unified Great Britain didn't stop people from being English, Scots and Welsh. A unified Earth probably won't either.

Nakita Anita is pointing out that the franchise is not "colorblind:" it takes an interest in the portrayal of race and ethnicity, and how such issues might become complicated in the future.

The impression I got was they think in 300-400 years people would stop being "Scots" for some reason. Or that France will stop existing because Earth unites under one government. But history shows us humans like to hang on to bits of their past. A person can be Terran, a human, British, a Scot and a Glaswegian and take pride in being all.
The other point seems to be the idea that more characters should be "mixed". Which isn't a bad idea. But I don't know that everyone will be like that. I think there would have to significant amount of migration to seriously change the population make up of China or Japan. What percentage of the world's population lives in the "West" were there is more of a mix cultural/ethnic groups? And why aren't there more Chinese characters in Star Treks future?

 

[kkt]

Yes. There are also people who look very anglo and have last names like Nguyen and Kuo. And I'm sure there will also be little towns that have not had many people move in and derive their looks from just one ethnic group.

 

[kkt]

There are still Welsh people, and Wales has been governed by England for 750 years or so.

 

[mlbach]

Someone once told me that if they'd been better swimmers, they'd all be Irish...

 

[Destructor]

I'm amazed this thread is still (well, relatively) going after almost ten months! I'd completely forgotten about it.

 

[jaime]

And as my examples illustrated ,Trek has that covered. There are "Africans" with "European" names. Pan-Asians with multi ethnic names. "Asians" with "European" names. And at teast one European looking woman with a Polynesian name. Then there is Khan with his odd jumble of names, accent and features.

Khan...a genetic Superman...a result of eugenic engine....or....the missing brother of Arnold S and Danny D. A load of Nazis flee to India in the tumult of the end of the raj, and all stare at pornograohy standing round a blender. Khaaaaannnnnnnn

Actually, he probably has a brother called Snake. MGS is canon to Star Trek...

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

There are still Welsh people, and Wales has been governed by England for 750 years or so.

The Welsh are every bit as stubborn as the Scots, just less militant.

 

[jaime]

There are still Welsh people, and Wales has been governed by England for 750 years or so.

Weren't the tudors Welsh? And after them a Scots king? people always conflate 'Norman' with 'English' for some unknown reason.....

 

[LJones41]

Are there similar threads for the other Trek shows?

 

[mikey2363]

*ahemCODEOFHONORahem*

That wasn't racist - it was based on an alien species so how can it be racist?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

people always conflate 'Norman' with 'English' for some unknown reason.....

They should get their stories straight. "Norman, coordinate!"

That wasn't racist - it was based on an alien species so how can it be racist?

I dare you to watch the episode and then say that again.

It's probably the most racist thing Trek has ever done. It's like they didn't even try to hide it. Sure, the Ligonians were (supposedly - not actually proven!) aliens, but that doesn't make the episode any less offensive.

 

[mikey2363]

They should get their stories straight. "Norman, coordinate!"



I dare you to watch the episode and then say that again.

It's probably the most racist thing Trek has ever done. It's like they didn't even try to hide it. Sure, the Ligonians were (supposedly - not actually proven!) aliens, but that doesn't make the episode any less offensive.

Offensive to who?

 

[Tuskin38]

Offensive to who?

If you can't answer that on your own, then you have a problem.

 

[mikey2363]

If you can't answer that on your own, then you have a problem.

Oh I see - and I thought I was on a website for adults. Obviously not.

I'm sure there's an ST: SJW forum somewhere for you.

 

[UssGlenn]

I've never actually managed to see Code of Honor, must not be a priority for syndication. Having read about it my understanding is that there is no racial instructions in the script, and the director inserted the African design theme. So my question is, with the same script and white actors with different costumes, would it still be racist to black people? If not, would it be racist towards white people? What if you painted them green?