Star Trek - Racist?

[Lt. Beatings]

It's weird how they characters casually link traits to races in the Trek galaxy.

It's something considered a no-no in our society.

i.e. You would never tell an Asian to use his natural mathematical superiority to solve an equation, yet we hear similar dialogue in Star Trek with alien races linked to racial stereotypes throughout the show.

I'm sure there are aliens who don't conform to the stereotype of their race.

 

[wahwahkits]

If there's someone on your crew who has a particular talent you will use that talent no matter what their race is.

Star Trek Racist? ----- Never

 

[T'Girl]

You would never tell an Asian to use his natural mathematical superiority...

Some Asians abilities in that area has more to do with their cultures attitudes towards education in general, rather than a natural mathematics talent.

Picard's expectation that Troi would provide him with information drawn from her natural abilities, not exactly racist.

If you were aboard a Starship, and the only Human among a species of the blind, and your captain were to ask you what you were seeing ... would that be racist?

 

[Solarbaby]

I remember an episode of Voyager where Janeway says she wished she had a Betazoid right now. Not all Betazoids are telepathic or able to read minds. What a racist bitch!

 

[Lt. Beatings]

You would never tell an Asian to use his natural mathematical superiority...

Some Asians abilities in that area has more to do with their cultures attitudes towards education in general, rather than a natural mathematics talent.

It's a stereotype, and whether or not they are more mathematically talented, it would be wrong to say that to an Asian.

Picard's expectation that Troi would provide him with information drawn from her natural abilities, not exactly racist.

Well that's different, it's not a generalization.

If you were aboard a Starship, and the only Human among a species of the blind, and your captain were to ask you what you were seeing ... would that be racist?

Again, not really a generalization.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Not all Betazoids are telepathic or able to read minds.

Actually, yes, they are. Except for Lon Suder (who was by all accounts an aberration), all Betazoids have some measure of telepathic ability.

 

[Lt. Beatings]

I remember an episode of Voyager where Janeway says she wished she had a Betazoid right now. Not all Betazoids are telepathic or able to read minds. What a racist bitch!

Ha, i just watched that episode. Dragon's Teeth.

 

[Lt. Beatings]

Not all Betazoids are telepathic or able to read minds.

Actually, yes, they are. Except for Lon Suder (who was by all accounts an aberration), all Betazoids have some measure of telepathic ability.

Suder was awesome.

 

[Sci]

There is a huge difference between stereotyping members of your own species on the basis of arbitrarily-chosen "ethnic" or "racial" traits like skin color, and simply acknowledging that a separate species has an ability that other species may lack.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Exactly. The term 'racism' implies prejudice that is not based on fact.

Logically speaking, how can something be racist if it's true? To say "All Ferengi are bald" is not racist, because it's an objective fact; OTOH, to say that Ferengi are lying, cheating scum IS racist, because it capitalizes on bigotry and is often false anyway.

 

[Cyke101]

There is a huge difference between stereotyping members of your own species on the basis of arbitrarily-chosen "ethnic" or "racial" traits like skin color, and simply acknowledging that a separate species has an ability that other species may lack.

Additionally, I imagine there are tests, evaluations, and of course, the officer's choice in regards to their roles as well. Tuvok was no slouch in the science department, but he chose tactical/security/espionage as his line of work, not science like most Vulcans we see. He could have simply felt that he was a better fighter than a scientist.

 

[C.E. Evans]

You can call Starfleet racist if they forbid other races from joining its ranks or only allowing one race to have any position of authority. Calling it racist simply because someone may refer to a skill that one race has that others don't is really isn't (especially if not meant in a derrogatory way). Kirk's desire for a Vulcan science officer in TMP isn't racist, it's really just that he was looking for a surrogate for Spock (who just happened to be Vulcan).

 

[ChrisQ]

I hear what you are saying, but those "race traits" were created as necessary plot devices, not political statements. In order to create chances for conflict between the species (as well as different TYPES of conflicts) they all had to be extremely different and there is not time to flesh out these differences. They needed basic and stereotypical traits that could be brought to play immediately without having to take thirty minutes just setting the stage. A Klingon cruiser de-cloaks in front of you and you brace yourself for impact. If a Cardassian hails, you expect some sort of treachery. Likewise if a Ferengi comes along you grip your wallet tighter.

And then this gives them the chance to do a story about someone who doesn't fit the mold. A couple examples:

Hugh - TNG. Not your average Borg.

Rom and Nog from DS9. I'd throw Garek in there as someone not exactly fitting the mold although he never loses that deviousness.

Shran, the Vulcans who gave up logic, the Klingon doctor (Affliction) and Kolos (Judgement) from Enterprise all broke the stereotypes.

In Voyager when Chakotay has to deal with the young Kazon boy we see that their culture shapes them but that in the end he's not inherently a bad dude, he's just trying to survive.

I will finish up by saying that part of the legacy of TOS is that it was groundbreaking for it's dealing with the issues of the day that were taboo for TV, including racism. I myself am glad that Star Trek moved away from the social commentary schtick for the most part and just got on with the story-telling.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Star Trek's aliens are too often portrayed as monocultures, to the extent that, when something a little different crops up --like a Romulan WITHOUT a bowl cut and bright green ship-- some of the more obsessive fans cry "canon violation!

 

[Paradon]

Hey, aliens are supposed to be smarter than humans...at least most of them are...in the ST universe, so no it's not racist.

 

[Solarbaby]

Not all Betazoids are telepathic or able to read minds.

Actually, yes, they are. Except for Lon Suder (who was by all accounts an aberration), all Betazoids have some measure of telepathic ability.

There's no canon either way to suggest all betazoids are telepathic. I'm sure some are born with disability. Troi can't read minds. she can only sense strong emotion. Even worf can hide his feelings from her.

 

[Gul Re'jal]

^ But Troi is a half-Betazoid. I always assumed her weaker abilities were the result of being half-human.

 

[Mark 2000]

It's called "Planet of Hats" and it is racist. This didn't happen in TNG too much, except for the Klingons. All Klingons are warriors. All Klingons are violent. Any one that isn't is an exception. That was an other kind of racist trope in trek. "You're one of the good ones". This was the case with the Ferengi in DS9, who people keep claiming were fleshed out, but just became so cartoonishly greedy that it was a religion. When Nog joins Star Fleet its because he was able to rise above his race. Same with all Bajorans are spiritual, all Romulans are sneaky.

I remember this was in rare form in the pilot of Voyager. Harry Kim accuses Quark of swindling him because he was "warned about Ferengi at Star Fleet" pointing to institutionalized bigotry. Quark goes nuts and actually cries racism. Paris comes along and proves Quark is just huffing and puffing in order to swindle Kim. They both walk away shaking their heads and basically saying "Typical Ferengi". Just replace "Ferengi" with "Jew" or even "Arab" in that conversation and you will feel very uncomfortable if you have any sense.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Troi is a half-Betazoid. I always assumed her weaker abilities were the result of being half-human.

Yes, that is true. Although she can still communicate telepathically with full Betazoids, such as her mother. And apparently with certain humans (Riker) as well!

And it's not racist or a "Planet of Hats" for all Betazoids to be telepathic, since it is a biological function inherent to the species itself. Like I said, it's not racist if it's TRUE.

 

[T'Girl]

Some people refer to Kirk and his statements in TUC as racist. But are they? His "let them die" might be the result of years of observing the Klingons in action, and simply wishing the the whole thing to be over with.