We’re All Trekkies Now

This article was absolutely wonderful. Being an old Trekkie myself I love it when other people understand why I
bought every episode and still watch them on a regular basis even though I know them by heart. Thanks so much for the article - it'sfunny, it's inciteful and it's all true. I also love Newsweek. It is the only magazine I buy. I love the comparison
of President Obama to Mr. Spock. They are both incredible and so is your magazine.

I am not really a fan of the original series. I was hoping for some new ideas from J.J. Abrahms instead of another movie about the original crew. Don't get me wrong, I already have tickets for the 7th and I'll probably see it at least three times in theaters (gotta support the franchise). But my personal trek feelings aside, why did you ruin a great story about Trek by comparing it to Obama? Not everything in the world can be or should be compared to the current administration. Some of us want our entertainment without politics. If I wanted to hear about Obama I would turn on the news.

Also - not to disparage the Peace Corps because I think they do important work but to my knowledge, they don't have ranks like Captain, Commander, Lieutenant, and Ensign. Next time - don't ruin a promising article about Star Trek with an analogy to the current administration.

I also disagree with the whole Star Trek = Obama administration. Using the Prime Directive as an example of cultural respect is ridiculous and shows only a cursory knowledge of Star Trek canon. The Prime Directive was only meant for cultures that had not developed warp technology. For almost any other culture/world that did have warp technology - Captain Kirk and the crews of that Enterprise and many past and present constantly interfered with these cultures/worlds. Indeed, many episodes of Star Trek involved having the crew try to help enslaved peoples overthrow a despotic ruler/power structure. It's laughable how the author of this article claims Star Trek for this presidency but denies how much the previous President used the power of the US goverment/people for good.

I won't begin to add my moderate opinions to the political discussion going on here. Instead, I just wanted to talk Trek. The article was interesting but it omitted one not so trivial fact. Persons waiting for the 2009 movie to "lift off" don't really have to wait to see a modern rendering of the original series. StarTrekPhase2.com episodes have been downloadable and/or streamable since 2004. And these episodes are not cheesy. Last year, Star Trek Phase 2 won the TV Guide Online Video Award in its category ... and episodes come complete with appearances of former stars of the original series - George Takei, Walter Koenig, William Windom, etc., etc., etc.

Yeah the ''geeks''have inherited the earth all right..

...but not the way the Obama-adoring scribbler thinks.

Obama has another headache on his hands. This time it is a huge cyberwar with the Chinese that has had the effect of their geeks, infiltrating the security set up by our geeks whereby the USAFs most modern fighters have had their plans that include defense systems hijacked by the PRC.[ A TREKian parallel can be made in an original episode when Kirk is duded up like a Romulan in order to steal their ''cloaking device'']. The trouble with the Obaman tribbles is that these are becoming more like ''Herberts'' and less like the Roddenbery/Bloch visionaries that gave the world new galaxies to explore.

Kirk [William Shatner] : '' Who is Herbert''?

Spock [Leonard Nimoy] :''Herbert refers to a minor official, notorious for his rigid and limited thought''

STAR TREK ''The Way To Eden''[1969]

In the final analysis the trek is a fundamental reality, not fiction: http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/04/slipping-into-secular-slide-zone.html

Did it occur to any of you bemoaning the fact that Newsweek ran a story about a movie before the swine flu that Newsweek was printed about the same time as the swine flu news was breaking. Newsweek is a news in review publication, not a daily not even a news reporting publication, they don't break stories. Its a magazine not a news paper I'm sure the next publication will feature government responses world wide from a review standpoint which is what this publication does.

As for Obama's response the man is fully aware of what's going on, all the necessary government programs are moving the way they should. He's released stockpiles of medicine in preparation for the worst. The real fact of the matter is that there is no reason to shut down a country that is already in major finical trouble until a real threat is established. The cases in this country are all coming from people who visited Mexico they are being quarantined and studied. This is no time for panic and it won't be unless the virus spreads beyond our countries' ability to contain and nurse people through it.

well, to understand the show, you have to look at the historical context that produced it. What was going on in the US and the world was the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War/Protests, Communist/red Scare, possible Nuclear Armageddon, Women's lib' and a host of other late 60's trials and tribulations. As a kid, my most shocking episode was "The Kiss". I am still in shock over that one. But what it did was make you think about what if humans one day got this thing right.

"(no Iraq-style invasions, in other words)." One thing Captain Kirk is famous for is disregarding strict adherence to the Prime Directive when it threatens his crew and kicking alien butt!

If Newsweek's purpose is not to be the news of the week then why is it called Newsweek? A (potential) rebirth of the United States? Sounds so warm and fuzzy. If our nation wants to claim the moral high ground and seek international respect then maybe we need Hollywood to export that pipe dream to Europe. Gun sales up 30% still fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while Feed the Children deliver food to NYC residence. Nice dream now pass that pipe.

I've seen a couple of complaints about the choice of cover articles for the magazine. I cannot disagree more. Cover articles are frequently chosen to reflect or analyze a general direction that our country/world/government/culture is taking. They are not intended to be the "news of the moment"; watch TV if that's what you need. The choice of Star Trek as a cover is perfect as a jumping off point to compare the (potential) rebirth of a beloved science fiction franchise with the (potential) rebirth of the United States as a country where the moral high ground can once again be claimed and international respect sought after the bleak days of the Bush years. That's a *great* choice for a cover story.

First Elliot Spitzer, then Star Trek, the covers of Newsweek two weeks in a row. Maybe they deserve an article on page 42, but front page covers?

In the meantime, we are in the middle of two wars, the worst recession in 75+ years, and one of the most controversial national budget disagreements in memory.

Newseek - get a clue!!!!!!

Newsweek missed the boat once again reclaiming informing America. Trek vs swine flue? Galactic masturbation as the world population and US citizens catch the swine flu. Confirmed cases in New York, California, Kansas, Texas, and who knows where else. Newsweek along with the current government has kept silent. No calls for schools to close or people to stop gathering at shopping malls. Does CNBC own Newsweek or is the media controlled by Obama love? The Government and our so call reps in the media should have place the people first, Newsweek put Hollywood first and the government puts the economy first and the people second. If I have learned two things this week it is that as a Mexican Government is more competent than the Obama government and that Newsweek is no different that the Hollywood reporter.

I can't wait for this movie , As a long time trek fan and believer in Gene's vision of the future! That being said WHY would you bring in our current govt. leader into your article? Obama's is great and all but he is not the be all end all of our existence. This media obsession with relating or trying to relate any subject with Obama is plain stupid. Do us all a favor "media" and stop trying to brainwash all of us, you "media" are only doing a disservice to yourself and Obama.

Looks like its going to be a fantastic movie!

Why did you have to take an enjoyable Star Trek article and ruin it with all of your Obama comparison tripe? Sorry, but not ALL Trekkies have embraced Mr. Obama as one of their own. Sorry, but not everyone is comfortable with how things are shaping up in his Obamunist administration. (And while I'm at it . . . Sorry, they could not go Warp 10 . . . A Voyager episode expanded on that)