Star Trek Anniversary (last column before 9/11) 9.7.01

You might not know it to look at me, but I am something of a geek. No, really, it's true!
I take no offense at the term "geek." I am quite proud of it most of the time as are many geeks these days whose nerd status has earned them kudos in fields as varied as creative writing, computer programming and synchronized swimming. "Revenge of the Nerds" really turned things around for my people.
My particular form of geekiness manifested itself at a young age in the form of an undying love for the creative expression inherent in science fiction. I loved science fiction movies like "The Planet of the Apes," "Soylent Green," "Logan's Run"; novels like "Dune," "Foundation" and "Childhood's End"; and television shows like "Space 1999," "Doctor Who" and "The Prisoner." I had my serious comic book collecting phase and my Dungeons and Dragons role playing game period and even a good run at going to conventions in high school.
I still like to duck into a good game store once in a while just to get the old panky stanky sci fi-style, hang out with some hardcore geeks, leaf through a GURPS supplement, maybe pick up a Judge Dredd graphic novel, the latest edition of Heavy Metal or a used "X-Files" video tape.
But there is one singular avatar of science fiction that has stood out above and beyond all the others for me and a lot of geeks. That ultimate variation of the continuing basic entity of science fiction, the brainchild of one Mr. Gene Roddenberry: "Star Trek."
Now I am not the most diehard Trekker that ever lived. I don't compete for the honor of knowing more about every episode than other geeks. I don't know the combination to the safe in Kirk's quarters. I don't speak any Klingon. And I don't have any blueprints of the Enterprise tucked away.
But I can name most of the episodes. I do notice when Kirk says "Fire photon torpedoes" and they fire phasers instead and by tomorrow I should have all 80 odd hours of the original episodes recorded.
Why bother?
Today is the 35th anniversary of the first airing of "Star Trek," - Trekker's Christmas as it is known in some circles and you can hear the fans shout "It's 9/8 y'all, I got nothing but this earth thing called 'love'" as they watch "The Wrath of Khan," pop the top off a 40 quart and pour one on the ground for their homies who couldn't be there.
Sept. 8, 1966, was when it all began in earnest, but whether you prefer Kirk or Picard, "The Next Generation" or the original show, what is essentially true and good about "Star Trek" is what is true and good about any great literature, art form or human endeavor: Ethos.
Say what you will, "Star Trek" is full of ethos, that distinguishing character, sentiment, morality that guides people in their beliefs as individuals, groups. In this case, Gene Roddenberry created a universe with an ethical backdrop by which the entire human race could not only abide but thrive.
This future universe is not just full of action, aliens, firefights, fistfights, knifefights and hot, alien love. It is a place guided by enlightened thought where it is the responsibility of each man, woman and Andorian to live up to their human potential.
It is a world in which the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
It is a place where diversity is truly our strength, racism is outdated and the infinite possibilities of the universe charge people up more than money.
Art thrives, science is about the pursuit of knowledge and the human adventure is just beginning.
Not all of what "Trek" offered was in terms of fantasy, not by any means. Before "Star Trek" took to the airwaves, it was not considered kosher to talk about race on TV, let alone criticize racists for their attitudes.
Kirk and crew not only did it, they did it with style in an episode called "Let that be your last battlefield." It is an episode with a seemingly ridiculous premise. A race of people called the Cheronians are half black and half white. Part of the race race is black on the left side and is viewed as inferior by the part of the race that is black on the right side. It is obvious to them who is superior but not to the crew of the Enterprise.
The Cheronians destroy themselves tragically because they cannot give up their petty race hatred. The message was sent loud and clear in a time when men and women were being beaten mercilessly for sitting at lunch counters because they were black.
"Star Trek" had the first interracial kiss and not just the ones between Captain Kirk and some blue chick from Orion either, a meaningful kiss between a white man and a black woman, a taboo in the late 1960s.
For 35 years, in soon-to-be-five TV incarnations and nine movies, "Star Trek" has offered us a fictional measuring stick by which to judge our human potential. Why is this important? Because there is no REAL measuring stick available. There are no human societies that have lived up to their potential, we are all pretty much the same, living day by day. But once in a while someone comes along like Mozart, Stephen Hawkings, Michael Jordan or Gene Roddenberry to show the rest of us what is possible.
-Greg Jerrett is a Nonpareil staff writer. He can be reached at 328-1811 ext. 279 or by e-mail at gjerrett@nonpareilonline.com.