Or even more simply, they have to go through the channels and put in some sort of request, regardless of seniority. Ro clearly hadn't done that.
Starfleet Uniform Code
- Thread starter Six of Twelve
- Start date
Did Tabor and Tal Celes wear their earrings while in uniform?
It doesn't matter if someone has a piss-poor attitude or whatever, their superiors can't enforce rules that don't exist, or shouldn't be showing favoritism to someone just because they play by the rules otherwise. The truth is, if a twenty pound sash is permissible in the uniform code, an earring should be okay too, and just because the one with the earring is has a bad attitude and the one with the sash is a good boy is now reason for allowing one and forbidding the other.
She did.
They did not.
Were all the Maquis on Chakotay's ship former Starfleet personnel who'd gone rogue like he had? I'm thinking not. I'm thinking that some were merely colonists from the planets that had been harassed by the Cardassians and had joined the Maquis to defend their homes. Thus, they'd not have been familiar with strict military discipline, nor should they have been subject to punishment for having gone rogue from Starfleet, never having been members in the first place. Tuvok's actions with such Maquis members pressed unwillingly into service could have only served to increased their resentment.
Indeed, these people, never members of Starfleet, were nickled and dimed over petty matters, while Chakotay, who actually was a rogue Starfleet officer, was rewarded by being made first officer.
In fact, Tuvok seems almost human in emotional motivation for his actions here.
I think it depends on the nature of the non-uniform adornment and the circumstances you'll be in.
Uhura mostly stayed at her station, so her earrings were fairly safe. But imagine going into battle or crawling into a Jefferies tube and getting your earring caught on something.
If they can make a modified Bajoran earring that won't snag, fine. As it was, it was a safety hazard.
Worf's sash is worn close to his body. Not as much danger there.
These rules exist for a REASON, people.
Uhura mostly stayed at her station, so her earrings were fairly safe. But imagine going into battle or crawling into a Jefferies tube and getting your earring caught on something.
If they can make a modified Bajoran earring that won't snag, fine. As it was, it was a safety hazard.Worf's sash is worn close to his body. Not as much danger there.
These rules exist for a REASON, people.
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Those Maquis cadets (in "Learning Curve") were not being 'nickled and dimed'. They were singled out for special discipline because they needed it. They were being disruptive and disorderly among the crew, and Tuvok (as security chief) was assigned to put a stop to it. Not all of the Maquis had a bad attitude, just those ones.
You bring up Chakotay? Remember, he was the leader of all the Maquis aboard that ship. It was a joint mission between him and Janeway that the Maquis should integrate with the Starfleet crew and become part of it. Yes, Chakotay's officer commission was returned to him, but it was just being given something he'd already had. It wasn't a reward to give him something he had earned.
If anything, the rest of the Maquis were the ones who were rewarded - those who weren't already Starfleet officers, anyway. They got ranks and privileges they didn't earn. Theoretically, Janeway would have been within her rights to throw the lot of them in the brig, but she gave them a chance to redeem themselves - to make themselves useful. In return, their obligation is to show that they can be trusted with the responsibilities given them. Most did, but for those who didn't, they get extra attention. That's why Tuvok did what he did.
@The Wormhole: You talk about "rules that don't exist." Riker was doing no such thing. It's his job as XO to make sure the crew is ready to carry out the Captain's instructions. If a particular crewmember is being a jackass, won't follow orders, or has a shit attitude, Riker is well within his rights to enforce whatever discipline he chooses, as long as it doesn't violate Starfleet regs. Which, as far as we know, his treatment of Ro qualifies as such an allowed discipline.
As for "showing favoritism to those who play by the rules"? I suppose, technically, that might be the case, but it's favoritism that is deserved. In any organization - military or no - those who follow the rules DO get better treatment, because they earned it. They deserve it. As it should be.
(hell, you don't think Ro would have raised just such a concern if applicable? If Riker was not allowed to keep her from wearing the earring, she DAMN well would have mentioned it. )
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So Chakotsy gets no discipline or punishment for breaking his oath to Starfleet and going rogue, yet those who were never part of Starfleet, " deserve" punishment even though they'd broken no oaths to anyone and didn't care to be there at all. If they were being disruptive to the point of affecting ship security, then they should have been given the option of disembarking and being left on an M class planet. I bet that would have had more effect than having their earrings taken away from them.
Sure it does. Worf was already a disciplined officer and thus didn't need to be "put in his place"
No such punishment could possibly have been carried out. Janeway and the rest of the normal Starfleet officers were in no position to do so, and would have probably been wiped out if they'd tried.
The only option was for both crews to cooperate. Chakotay knew this as well as anyone.
Not even an official reprimand. Janeway could have made Tuvok first officer, had it been necessary.
That's not the way to start an alliance which is necessary to save your life. We saw Janeway compromise in this way many times, one of the only ways in which Voyager was realistic. Chakotay had to be first officer as much as Nick Clegg had to be deputy prime minister. It's a peace offering and a visible power sharing, and at the same time associates both factions with command decisions so Chakotay is put in a position of having a stake in defending Janeway.
Well, the lower ranks should have also been given some leeway then, considering they weren't trained Starfleet officers and given time to learn and adjust to their new situation.
Nothing wrong with rules or discipline, but the application needs to be even handed and sometimes modified to fit the situation. Also they should choose their battles wisely and not choose the wearing of an earring to be their hill to die on. Punishments should fit the infraction.
Nothing wrong with rules or discipline, but the application needs to be even handed and sometimes modified to fit the situation. Also they should choose their battles wisely and not choose the wearing of an earring to be their hill to die on. Punishments should fit the infraction.
I think a better example would be The Thatch forming a govt with Gerry Adams.
I've figured that Riker was pissed with Ro in part because she was wearing the earring on the wrong ear and he knew it - a sign of her atheism that some other Bajorans might take as disrespectful or flip. Once they knew her a little better, they knew that her wearing it that way was just about *her* beliefs (or, rather, doubt), and not disrespect for anyone else.
Indeed...when Riker told her that she'd "follow Starfleet uniform code on this ship," she didn't have to ask what he was talking about. She knew she was breaking a regulation.
Only to an extent. It just isn't right to tell one person they have to follow a the uniform code while allowing another person to blatantly disregard it, regardless if the person you're trying to make follow the code is being a "jackass."
No, no matter how good someone is at their job or how well they play by the rules, they have not earned the right to favoritism. If you're going to enforce a rule with someone who is problematic you enforce it with everyone, otherwise you're not solving the problems that exist with the "misfit" employee. Teamwork goes both ways, while problematic employee who doesn't play by the rules might not be good for team morale, it's the leader's responsibility to work with that employee to get them to contribute. And showing favoritism to the "elite" won't do that.
Maybe not. In the episode Ensign Ro Ro really didn't give a damn about much. She was only expecting to be on the Enterprise for the duration of the mission as a means of getting out of prison. She probably figured "take the damn earring out if it'll shut him up." The fact that it was okay for her to wear the earring afterwards would indicate it's not a serious problem.
Hmm, then again after reviewing all the other Bajorans who were in Starfleet, the only ones who did wear the earring were Ro, the young guy from Learning Curve and Kira in DS9's final season.
Perks to the job? Sounds a bit like favoritism to me.
I do tend to agree with this. Not only do we see startling variations, we also see blatant non-uniforms like Troi's unitard. And the idea that it might be down to the digression of individual COs handily explains why Deanna gets away with it under Jean Luc, but gets pulled up on it under Jellicoe.
It seems clear that Riker is making an exception of Ro Laren, which seems suspiciously close to hazing/harassment to me.
I think you need punctuation in there. God forbid, "Ro Ro" could get Shatner and Company singing again!
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