As the US Presidential Election goes from weirder to worse, it's good to know that Donald Trump has been pretty much widely rejected by most, if not all of modern pop culture.
We already reported on Joss Whedon's PSA on voting and now, another grouping of actors, directors and all-round legends have lined up against Donald Trump. Trek Against Trump is an initiative by those connected with Star Trek - be it the various TV series and films - to stand against Trump's unique brand of awfulness.
An open letter, signed and endorsed by well over 150 members of the wider franchise, speaks about how voting for Hillary Clinton is voting for "a future of enlightenment and inclusion, a future that will someday lead us to the stars."
Here's the open letter in full, taken from the group's Facebook page.
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.
The resolution of conflicts on Star Trek was never easy. Don’t remain aloof –vote! 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.
Have you just turned 18? Have you moved? Have you never voted before? Some states have early registration (early October) and/or absentee ballots. You can’t vote if you are not registered. So make it so. Go to https://www.rockthevote.com , a non-profit, non-partisan organization, and fulfill your civic duty. Because, damn it, you are a citizen of the USA, with an obligation to take part in our democracy! Do this not merely for yourself but for all the generations that follow. Vote for a future of enlightenment and inclusion, a future that will someday lead us to the stars.
The letter has been endorsed by pretty much every major actor and director attached to the series, including JJ Abrams, Jonathan Frakes (our hero), Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine, Denise Crosby, Karl Urban, Wil Wheaton and many of the numerous writers, including Brannon Braga, Ira Steven Behr, Nicholas Meyer, Bryan Fuller and more besides.
Trump supporters, however, have turned up in the Facebook comments and quickly pointed out that William Shatner hasn't lent his support to the letter. Shatner hasn't yet publicly commented on the matter, so it's hard to say what his stance is on the whole thing.
In any case, it's pretty cool to see that Star Trek is lining out against Trump. Let's see if Battlestar Galactica or Farscape does the same.
Via Facebook