Star Trek cast and crew unite to oppose Donald Trump
They’re making space great again…
Upwards of a hundred film industry players associated with ‘Star Trek’ have put their names on an open letter condemning Donald Trump, and urging fans to vote against him in the upcoming US presidential election.
The letter was published at Trek Against Trump, a Facebook page which stresses it is not affiliated with series rights holders CBS and Paramount, but carries the support of many key figures from both the TV and movie series.
Signatories include JJ Abrams, ‘Star Trek Beyond’ director Justin Lin, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, John Cho and Karl Urban, alongside such ‘Trek’ TV veterans as George Takei, ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’s LeVar Burton, ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’s Scott Bakula, ‘Star Trek: Voyager’s Kate Mulgrew, and many more.
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The letter argues that the worldview promoted by the controversial Republican party candidate runs directly opposite to the inclusive, progressive philosophies which ‘Star Trek’ has always promoted:
“Star Trek has always offered a positive vision of the future, a vision of hope and optimism, and most importantly, a vision of inclusion, where people of all races are accorded equal respect and dignity, where individual beliefs and lifestyles are respected so long as they pose no threat to others.
“We cannot turn our backs on what is happening in the upcoming election. Never has there been a presidential candidate who stands in such complete opposition to the ideals of the Star Trek universe as Donald Trump.
“His election would take this country backward, perhaps disastrously. We need to elect a president who will move this country forward into the kind of future we all dream of: where personal differences are understood and accepted, where science overrules superstition, where people work together instead of against each other.”
Trek Against Trump follows in the footsteps of Joss Whedon’s high-profile anti-Trump video which featured many key players from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
However, Trek Against Trump boldly goes to one place Whedon and co didn’t, by openly endorsing Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - and they apply a little Vulcan logic in doing so:
“We have heard people say they will vote Green or Libertarian or not at all because the two major candidates are equally flawed. That is both illogical and inaccurate.
“Either Secretary Clinton or Mr. Trump will occupy the White House. One is an amateur with a contemptuous ignorance of national laws and international realities, while the other has devoted her life to public service, and has deep and valuable experience with the proven ability to work with Congress to pass desperately needed legislation.
“If, as some say, the government is broken, a protest vote will not fix it.”
Read the letter in full here.
Picture Credit: Paramount, WENN/NBC
