A parable for modern days:
From: Star Trek: The Next Generation (TM, Paramount Pictures) We recall the Salem witch hunts, and of course the Kangaroo Courts of the "McCarthy era" Witch Hunts. Let me introduce you to a parable for the day -as it relates to TERRI SCHINDLER-SCHIAVO's situation: (Can you guess the characters before I give you the "answers?") In Star Trek: The Next Generation (Trademark, Paramount Pictures, and all that stuff!), we find the following situation: There is an explosion aboard the warp drive of the Star Ship, Enterprise, and Starfleet brings Admiral Norah Satie (played by British-born actress, Jean Simmons) out of retirement to, once again, sleuth the clues as a modern-day Sherlock Holmes. With the help of security chief, Worf (played by Michael Dorn), Adm. Satie quickly implicates J'Dan, a Klingon exobiologist, as the prime suspect. However, there is a fly in the ointment: Satie's Betaziod partner, Sabin, is telepathic and quickly determines that J'Dan is not guilty of the crime but can not determine the identity of his accomplice. So, that leads to a ship-wide search. As the investigation continues, a ship's crewman, Simon Tarses is questioned about the incident, and is later discovered to have lied about his ancestry in an application to Starfleet Academy. (One of his grandfathers was Romulan, not Vulcan, as he had claimed on his "Job" Application to Starfleet.) At this, Adm. Satie hounds crewman Tarses to no end, claiming that they "got their man," so to speak. Even though further investigation by Lt. Geordi La Forge and Lt. Worf indicate that the explosion was a random accident -a malfunction, Satie not only continues her probe, but also expands it, and when Captain Picard objects to her "witch hunt" tactics, she accuses *him* of being a traitor, and, as the investigation expands, her old classmate, Adm. Thomas Henry (played by Earl Billings) comes aboard to supervise the hearings and investigation. Perhaps the best acting of the whole episode is done by Billings, who chillingly reminds me of famed actor James Earl Jones, with all his solemnity and gravitas. As the hearings continue, Adm. Henry watches in silence on as Satie continues to tear at Capt. Picard for defending crewman Tarses, who apparently was self-conscious of being labeled a "part-Romulan," half-breed or something along those lines. As the charade continues, however, it becomes painfully clear to all the courtroom spectators (and, at the public hearing, there are a lot), that this is nothing more than a witchhunt, but no one dares speak up, for Adm. Satie is a legend. At one point, Picard quotes Satie's late father, a respected Starfleet judge, regarding attacks on freedom, making an imassioned plea for justice! -to call off her tirade, but Satie's response it is acrid: She then goes over the top and accueses Picard of violating serious Starfleet regulations and vowing to take him down as a traitor for treason of the highest degree. At that, Admiral Henry, presiding over the proceedings, gets up silently but quickly in disgust --and simply walks out. Later, the anouncement is made: Adm. Henry has called off the hearings (crewman Tarses is free to go: No Charges filed against him today), Satie is disgraced, and Worf apologizes to the Captain for his role in this debacle. However, Picard tells Worf: "Vigilance, Mr. Worf. That is the price we have to continually pay," for our freedoms -but that there will always be those types out there, opportunists waiting for just the right chance to surface and strike. Now, do you get the gist, or do I have to explain it to you? Terri Schiavo is represented here by ship's crewman Simon Tarses, although he is a little more guilty that Terri. Admiral Norah Satie represents the various courts and estranged husband, Michael Schiavo. Captain Picard, here represents Terri Schiavo's parents and siblings. (They, like Picard, were threatened with arrest and charges for merely protecting their own.) Dr. Jay Wolfson is probably best represented by Mr. Worf, the Enterprise's Klingon Security chief - or maybe Lt. Geordi La Forge. (Similar names, too, huh? Wolfson ~ Worf?) ~~~ Why? Both are unwitting pawns used to research and tossed out if they get out of line. And, does anyone represent Admiral Henry, the "heavy" or "serious" role (usually played by Picard in most episodes)? No, not yet, but the implication is clear: This debacle is nothing more than a "Drumhead" or "Kangaroo Kourt" (spelled with a 'K'). A McCarthy "Communist" Witch-Hunt, looking for some evil in Terri Schindelr-Schiavo. ("Come on Terri, admit it: You don't want to live do you? Hey, I think she said she wanted to die! Quick! Pull the plug before the cop changes his mind!") While we don't see Adm. Thomas finally calling a halt to the "games" yet -as in this episode... let me assure you: The "games" *will* come to an end." You may think it's funny, and I do have a sense of humor, but this is not funny: It could happen to you or me. She is most probably a first-hand witness to domestic abuse, and would thus be helpful to Michael Schiavo in avoiding prosecution if he could off the witness... plus, he'd be able to keep a lot of "rehab" money. As Arsenio Hall used to say: "Things that make you go 'Hmm...'." Gordon Watts, for the Editorial Board The Register LINKS OF IMPORTANCE: | HomeTown/AOL Mirror | GeoCities Mirror | Other Links | GeoCities site for Health/Diet Info | Tripod Mirror for Health/Diet Research | Gordon W. Watts, Editor-in-Chief, The Register |