Ah, but it is being spoken. It was spoken in Las Vegas.
Loudly and repeatedly, by the people who make up communities like this one, out from behind the keyboards, with boots (and sneakers, and Birkenstocks, and zoris, and probably a few bare feet) on the ground.
And it was spoken yet again in Vegas, and more recently than that.
What happens in Vegas sometimes becomes a subspace transmission.
Hailing frequencies open. Set a course below the fold, warp factor six.
Karl Rove's new talking point for the Republicans is that the terrorists are like the Nazis, and anyone against the Iraq War is like the appeasers before World War II. If that doesn't work they're going to use Bush's analogy, where bin Laden is a Klingon and he's Captain Kirk .(Bill Maher)
Yeah. Right.
If that's what Chimpy fucking McFlightsuit thinks,
he needs some time in here
and even if he DOESN'T think that, I've got plenty of other reasons to want to see him in there anyway.
FREEDOM 'R' US:
BUSH'S RHETORIC AND THE OMEGA GLORY CONNECTION
Listening to soundbytes of Bush, I have noticed that whenever the "President" invokes a bogeyman or all the bogeymen in aggregate, one thing he almost always says, as he did in his speech at Marian College, is "They hate freedom." I don't know whether one of his speechwriters came up with this or not, but Dubya seems to be fond of the phrase. He delivers the line with breathless sincerity always with a pregnant pause after, and he tends to repeat it.
This bothers me whenever I hear it, partly because of the simpleminded metaphor, "Freedom-R-US," but it also reminds me of something I couldn't quite recall. Until now. Bush's use of the word freedom reminds of the old Star Trek episode, The Omega Glory.
Because, you see, Bushco's understanding - or their respect for - the principles upon which this country was founded is clearly just a little distorted:
"Chiefs and sons of chiefs may speak the words, but the evil one's tongue would surely turn to fire. I will begin ...and you shall finish. Ee'dplebnista norkohn forkohn perfectunun."
"No - no! Only the eyes of a chief may see the E Plebmnista!"
"This was not written for chiefs."
"Hear this! Among my people, we carry many such words as this from many lands, many worlds. Many are equally good and are as well respected, but wherever we have gone, no words have said this thing of importance ...in quite this way. Look at these three words written larger than the rest with a special pride never written before or since -Tall words proudly saying ... "We the people".
That which you called Ee'd Plebnista was not written for chiefs or kings or warriors or the rich and powerful, but for all the people! ...you have slurred the meaning of the words "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity...do ordain and establish this constitution ".
These words, and the words that follow were not written only for the Yang-- but for the Kohms as well......
They must apply to everyone, or they mean nothing! Do you understand?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
George W. Bush neither understands nor cares.
We do not have Captain Kirk to set Mr. Bush straight. But, in his absence, members of his crew have stepped in to make their best attempt.
At the Star Trek 40th anniversary convention in Las Vegas, the word was delivered.
By George Takei:
"We're really talking about America and the fundamental ideals that made this country great. But you know, what's really worrisome is not only what happened more than 60 years ago, but what is happening to us today. We've got to relate history to today as well ... When Pearl Harbor was bombed, this entire country was terrorized. And acting on terror, they rounded up people on the West Coast who looked like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor. We'd done nothing, there were no charges, no trial, no attorneys, no due process -- we were simply rounded up and incarcerated in these barbed wire prison camps. The same thing is happening today" with Arabs, he said, apparently referring to the Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and "extraordinary rendition" controversies over detention and torture.Takei continued, "We have to be mindful and be able to act on the ideals of this country. And you know, when we talk about national security issues -- to illustrate how crazy our policy makers are, we have intelligence that's key to dealing with terrorism. Do you know that the military intelligence service is kicking out Arabic-speaking intelligence officers simply because they happen to be gay? Isn't that stupid?! Which is more important, national security or homophobia?!" Applause from the audience.
His ire rising, he went further: "You know, clearly with this administration what's more important are the silly issues, like homophobia, when national security is a critical issue ... I mean, George Bush says" -- immediately there were grumblings from certain parts of the audience -- "stay the course. Stay the course?! It's a disaster in Iraq! This man isn't able to deal with reality!" (Robust applause from the general audience.) "George Bush is staying on course" -- (boos from a few) -- "with that incompetent Donald Rumsfeld" -- (a mixture of chagrin and delight from the audience) -- "and that's who brought us to this ridiculous, disastrous point." General applause and supportive shout-outs.
"So I think it's very important that we know our history, and our history books have been much too mute on the incarceration of American citizens... What?"
Someone in the audience shouted "Left Coast loser!"
Takei said, "What? Who's a Left Coast loser?" "You are!" "Oh," Takei laughed, "oh I see! Well, you know, we believe in diversity of opinion as well, and so, y'know, you're entitled to your opinion. But if you look at the reality -- last month over 2,000 Iraqis died. That's double what died in January. You're the loser in this case!" Applause and cheers from most of the audience.
"I think I would like to see this country reach its highest potential, so that democracy really means what it's supposed to mean -- not one person's ideal, but a collective in which we can live together, live differently, appreciate one another's differences, not 'in spite of' our differences. If you tell me that you love me 'in spite of' my color I resent it -- I don't love you in spite of yours. I take people one on one, and I see in your eyes when I look at you and you look at me, and if I'm there, then I know we're one. And that's what this world is supposed to be about, and that's why we have a country as close to that opportunity as any country has ever come.""And sir," she continued, addressing the "Left Coast loser" guy, and her voice occasionally cracking, "I am proud that we live in a country where you too can speak your mind, your opinion." (Applause.) "I believe that it is incumbent on every American, if you are going to be proud, if you are going to deserve being an American, if I'm going to deserve being an American, to never ever ever ever ever let terrorizing words, degrading words, make me less than American. I will stand tall, and if there is a 9/11 every week, they will not scare me!" (Rising applause.) "And they will not scare me to rescind my liberties, my rights, under the Constitution of this United States. I will not give George Bush the right to tape my conversations without cause" -- referring, apparently, to the warrantless wiretapping controversy. "I will not do it. I will not allow them to frighten me from flying. I will not do it. I will not live in terror, I will not do it. And then I can say, God bless America."
"Of course, my silence notwithstanding, I totally support what George and Nichelle have said. We live in dire times, and ... with the possible exception of the silly man over there..." (referring to "Left Coast loser" guy) "...Star Trek fans do come together and have a homogeneous point of view in terms of trying to achieve some kind of world where we can all live together -- where there is peace and we have our cultural differences and our ethnic differences ... and still we manage to find a unity and a purpose that can move us into the future together. That's what this is all about, and you folks, time after time, have proven to us that you want to be part of that. I think that's the most inspirational thing about Star Trek these days, are the fans, and how they have marshaled their forces to help that come true."
Takei and Koenig continued answering questions for the final 10 minutes of their session, with some praise from Koenig for William Shatner: "He was the right man at the right time to play Captain Kirk ... and I think that's why the show, despite the fact that we're four decades old, continues to have a shelf life." And Takei spoke further, in less charged tones, about issues of discrimination, but also extended an olive branch toward "Left Coast loser" guy: "I respect this gentlemen who had the courage to speak up because he has different political ideas, and it's that kind of discussion that makes my political ideas that much stronger. And I would advise you to relate your political ideas to the realities that are happening on the ground."Once it was time to wrap up, Takei and Koenig stood and spontaneously broke out into a rendition of "God Bless America." It was at that point that Nichols came back on stage, and joined them arm-in-arm for the final refrain: "God bless America, our home sweet home."
A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away.
-- Dr. Boyce, "The Menagerie" ("The Cage"), stardate unknown
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Evil does seek to maintain power by suppressing the truth."
"Or by misleading the innocent."
-- Spock and McCoy, "And The Children Shall Lead", stardate 5029.5.
Cheney: No Doubt Saddam Has WMD
Aug. 26, 2002
Dick Cheney, Vice President
"Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction."
"[A]ny time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap ... a wiretap requires a court order." - President Bush, April 20, 2004.
Do you know that you're one of the few predator species that preys even on itself?
... Trelane, "The Squire of Gothos," stardate 2124.5..
"There are some who feel like that the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is bring them on," Bush said.
On September the 11th, we resolved that we would go on the offense against our enemies -- and we would not distinguish between the terrorists and those who harbor or support them. So we helped drive the Taliban from power in Afghanistan. We put Al Qaeda on the run, and killed or captured most of those who planned the 9/11 attacks -- including the man believed to be the mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. He and other suspected terrorists have been questioned by the Central Intelligence Agency -- and they have provided valuable information that has helped stop attacks in America and across the world. Now these men have been transferred to Guantanamo Bay, so they can be held to account for their actions. Usama bin Laden and other terrorists are still in hiding. Our message to them is clear: No matter how long it takes, America will find you, and we will bring you to justice.
George W. Bush, 9/11/2006
"And, again, I don't know where he is," Bush said (of bin Laden) during the 2002 news conference. "I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. "
No more blah, blah, blah!
... Kirk, "Miri," stardate 2713.6..
"I do not fully understand, one named Kirk. But the holy words will be obeyed. I swear it."
Kirk replies: "Liberty and freedom have to be more than just words."
