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[Htown]

Diversity by checklist? I'm not a fan. Maybe someone can make a Trek that hits a magical diversity quotient without being heavyhanded and forced. It would certainly be a feat.

So much wrong with this statement.

 

[Instigator]

The aspirational part came from having a federation dedicated to peaceful exploration and attempting to resolve conflict non-violently, not in that it met its quota of varied cultural types.

I actually thought the lead up to the Dominion war fairly well handled for DS9 and consistent with Trek conventions: diplomacy fails, Starfleet paralyzed with Dominion build-up, defensive war strategy leads to massive losses to finally "maybe we should take the offensive for a change?"

 

[firehawk12]

I actually thought the lead up to the Dominion war fairly well handled for DS9 and consistent with Trek conventions: diplomacy fails, Starfleet paralyzed with Dominion build-up, defensive war strategy leads to massive losses to finally "maybe we should take the offensive for a change?"

Leading to an assassination...

 

[Instigator]

Just one arrogant Romulan senator (and his guards). Come on, that's a bargain for saving billions of lives

 

[Almighty]

Well for what its worth I for one agree with you Zzoram. I always thought that StarFleet security personnel looked like their training was a joke. A bunch of incompetents in pajamas. So yeah I for one would be all for them looking like they do some actual combat training. Not just do a Tasha Yar say the get the best training and then look like a bunch of amateurs in a fire fight. Firing all willy nilly.

The Federation always seems to be in conflict with someone even if it is just some minor skirmish with some minor alien species. So it makes sense to me for Starfleet to at least train their security forces better then they have been shown in the past. I also don't fully buy the argument that if they used better tactics and looked more like a military unit that Starfleet would start to become some kind of war mongers.

Admiral 1: "Hey guys look at our new commando units aren't they grand."
Admiral 2: "Yeah, but their training is wasted with no wars to fight. Let's go attack the Romulans."
Admiral 1: "Sure why not I never liked their pointy ears anyway." *gives the Vulcan next to him a dirty look*


I disagree on Section 31 though. While I can justify that better training and better tactics would aid in defense which is what Starfleet is supposed to be geared for. Section 31 on the other hand as a ruthless(even genocide is not off limits) shadow origination seems to pretty much run counter to all the Federations ideals.

 

[firehawk12]

Just one arrogant Romulan senator (and his guards). Come on, that's a bargain for saving billions of lives

The twist is that humans are just as monstrous as the shapeshifters!

I disagree on Section 31 though. While I can justify that better training and better tactics would aid in defense which is what Starfleet is supposed to be geared for. Section 31 on the other hand as a ruthless(even genocide is not off limits) shadow origination seems to pretty much run counter to all the Federations ideals.

I JUST realized that BioWare ripped off Section 31 for Cerberus... before turning them into Umbrella Corporation/Weyland Yutani.

 

[Cheerilee]

This is BS. I'm sorry, it just really is. It turns Kirk and Picard into idiots duped into being propaganda, and it makes fools of anyone who believed in the original vision. It's fiction, it doesn't have to be realistic. It can be aspirational. And Trek is supposed to be about what humanity can achieve at its best, not what it can achieve while evil people make them feel happy and safe.

And Starfleet had an intelligence agency before Section 31 came along. There was just no indication that it had a shadow organization pulling all the strings.

I think it should be mentioned that while Section 31 claimed to be enshrined in the constitution, someone (Bashir, I think) mentioned that they had read the constitution, and these jerks weren't in it.

This organization's #1 priority appears to be keeping itself concealed from the Federation, because they know that their twisted interpretation of the constitution would not be supported by the vast majority of the Federation. They only expose themselves to individuals desperate or stupid enough to break laws in order to keep them secret. Their #2 priority is the careful accumulation of power. Priority #3 would be taking abhorrent actions against targets of their own choosing, and while they claim to have made the world a better place through their machinations, it's entirely possible that they have not.


Basically, they're just another set of villains who wrapped themselves in a flag that made some people hesitate, but they were a cancer that eluded justice for hundreds of years until they made a wrong move and approached Bashir, and then he and Sisko were able to expose them and take them down (maybe not permanently, yet).

 

[Instigator]

Though it was never argued in the series, humans are/were lucky in the galactic scale. Their first contact was with Vulcans and not Klingons or Cardassians who would have just conquered them. Their prime directive that is supposed to protect them is applied from a position of strenght with no real, personal stakes. It's an extravagance or a luxury for them.

 

[maharg]

I think it should be mentioned that while Section 31 claimed to be enshrined in the constitution, someone (Bashir, I think) mentioned that they had read the constitution, and these jerks weren't in it.

This organization's #1 priority appears to be keeping itself concealed from the Federation, because they know that their twisted interpretation of the constitution would not be supported by the vast majority of the Federation. They only expose themselves to individuals desperate or stupid enough to break laws in order to keep them secret. Their #2 priority is the careful accumulation of power. Priority #3 would be taking abhorrent actions against targets of their own choosing, and while they claim to have made the world a better place through their machinations, it's entirely possible that they have not.


Basically, they're just another set of villains who wrapped themselves in a flag that made some people hesitate, but they were a cancer that eluded justice for hundreds of years until they made a wrong move and approached Bashir, and then he and Sisko were able to expose them and take them down (maybe not permanently, yet).

Personally, when a story does something I feel the need to rationalize to insignificance I find it easier to just pretend it never happened and call it a day.

 

[evilwart]

I think it should be mentioned that while Section 31 claimed to be enshrined in the constitution, someone (Bashir, I think) mentioned that they had read the constitution, and these jerks weren't in it.

This organization's #1 priority appears to be keeping itself concealed from the Federation, because they know that their twisted interpretation of the constitution would not be supported by the vast majority of the Federation. They only expose themselves to individuals desperate or stupid enough to break laws in order to keep them secret. Their #2 priority is the careful accumulation of power. Priority #3 would be taking abhorrent actions against targets of their own choosing, and while they claim to have made the world a better place through their machinations, it's entirely possible that they have not.


Basically, they're just another set of villains who wrapped themselves in a flag that made some people hesitate, but they were a cancer that eluded justice for hundreds of years until they made a wrong move and approached Bashir, and then he and Sisko were able to expose them and take them down (maybe not permanently, yet).

Section 31's name comes from Article 14, Section 31 of the Starfleet Charter, which allowed for extraordinary measures to be taken in times of extreme threat. The way I understood it, during the early days of Starfleet, a group of officers took Article 14, Section 31 and used it as an excuse to create an organization within Starfleet capable of doing whatever the hell it wanted. It was never strictly official or authorized, but has been apart of Starfleet for so long that it's now entrenched within it.

 

[firehawk12]

Section 31's name comes from Article 14, Section 31 of the Starfleet Charter, which allowed for extraordinary measures to be taken in times of extreme threat. The way I understood it, during the early days of Starfleet, a group of officers took Article 14, Section 31 and used it as an excuse to create an organization within Starfleet capable of doing whatever the hell it wanted. It was never strictly official or authorized, but has been apart of Starfleet for so long that it's now entrenched within it.

Somehow when Starfleet was barely able to get their first couple of starships off the ground, they had the time to also start Section 31 and begin a vast government conspiracy. It makes no sense, but that's Enterprise for ya.

 

[evilwart]

I don't know, I always thought it was naive to think Starfleet wouldn't have an organization like Section 31. That somehow, despite other space powers using organizations like the Tal Shiar and Obsidian Order, the Federation was able to prosper whilst maintaining its moral integrity.

 

[Almighty]

Though it was never argued in the series, humans are/were lucky in the galactic scale. Their first contact was with Vulcans and not Klingons or Cardassians who would have just conquered them. Their prime directive that is supposed to protect them is applied from a position of strenght with no real, personal stakes. It's an extravagance or a luxury for them.

Yeah thinking about it everything just fell our(humans) way in Star Trek. Though I have come to the conclusion that things like the prime directive are best not thought about too deeply. It makes sense on paper, but I don't think would work in reality. As the Federation could of avoided some pretty nasty things down the road if they just got their hands dirty once in a while.

Probably why I liked "In the Pale Moonlight" so much. As I seemed to humanize the Federation, Starfleet, and Sisko. Showing that faced with annihilation they would chose some pretty for lack of a better word underhanded means to survive. It also made me respect the DS9 writers as in any other series I am almost certain that assuming they got in that spot in the first place, some deus ex machina would of been used to get out of that corner, saved the Federation, and kept Sisko's hands clean.

Of course on the other hand if someone was to make what I would consider a "realistic" Federation it wouldn't really be Star Trek anymore. So I guess to sum it up I like it when they show that sometimes you have to get dirty, but its Star Trek so lets try to avoid getting too dirty too often.

 

[firehawk12]

I don't know, I always thought it was naive to think Starfleet wouldn't have an organization like Section 31. That somehow, despite other space powers using organizations like the Tal Shiar and Obsidian Order, the Federation was able to prosper whilst maintaining its moral integrity.

Well, one thing I don't remember was whether or not Section 31 was exclusively human or not.

If it was created when Starfleet was just formed, I could see it being essentially a racist organization... which would be troubling as the Federation grew to encompass more than humans. At least, I would think so anyway.

I think I'm too much of a lapsed Star Trek fan to even remember who was in the Federation at the time of Enterprise though. I assume it was mostly a Human-Vulcan alliance anyway.

 

[maharg]

I don't know, I always thought it was naive to think Starfleet wouldn't have an organization like Section 31. That somehow, despite other space powers using organizations like the Tal Shiar and Obsidian Order, the Federation was able to prosper whilst maintaining its moral integrity.

Let me put it this way. If you assume this all along I don't see how you don't see the show as basically being this:
http://www.clipupload.com/clip/videos.php/photo/9611/SNL_Love_Boat_The_Next_Generation_Skit/

Kirk and Picard bumbling around the universe like idiots thinking they're doing something good.

 

[Cheerilee]

Section 31's name comes from Article 14, Section 31 of the Starfleet Charter, which allowed for extraordinary measures to be taken in times of extreme threat. The way I understood it, during the early days of Starfleet, a group of officers took Article 14, Section 31 and used it as an excuse to create an organization within Starfleet capable of doing whatever the hell it wanted. It was never strictly official or authorized, but has been apart of Starfleet for so long that it's now entrenched within it.

If Sisko went to court for his involvement in the death of that Romulan senator, Article 14 Section 31 might clear him.

If Kirk went to court for breaking the temporal prime directive and kidnapping whales, Article 14 Section 31 might clear him (not for stealing and destroying the Enterprise though, that got him demoted).

If the group calling itself Section 31 was taken to court, no (untainted) jury in the world would say that "humanity has developed warp travel and made contact with other species" is sufficient justification for "the formation of a group that has no clear direction but it's own whims, answers to nobody, freely breaks any and all Federation laws including genocide, and will continue to do so whenever they please, in perpetuity." Not even in our non-utopian present. Which is apparently why they do everything in their power to avoid being discovered and taken to court.


It's a criminal organization. It's not the equivalent of the Tal Shiar or the Obsidian Order. It only survived because almost nobody knew it existed and because of the power it was able to accumulate.

 

[Wuthering_Heights]

So, on a whim last night while in bed I watched TNG Birthright parts 1 and 2.

Made me realize how much I missed TNG. May have to go for a full series watch. =P

 

[firehawk12]

It's a criminal organization. It's not the equivalent of the Tal Shiar or the Obsidian Order. It only survived because almost nobody knew it existed and because of the power it was able to accumulate.

Well, it's surprisingly prescient inasmuch as it predicted what the CIA would do in the post-2001 world.
Then again, it's not like the CIA is a stranger to working with bad people and doing bad things to achieve their goals.

Whether or not it feels hacked onto the Star Trek "mythology" is another discussion entirely though, I suppose.

 

[The Librarian]

And it's not aspirational at all to turn the Federation into the United States.

Ehhhhhhh. Maybe not intentionally, but in many ways the Federation is essentially the United States in space with its potential fully realized. The naval vessels have the designation of USS on them, like US ships, and the structure of government is very similar to that of the United States. Additionally, the US is a very aspirational country. The US, through all its faults, has one of the most aspiration foundings – probably the only country to be founded on an idea – of any nation. Just look at the founding documents. The preamble of the US Constitution states the purpose of it: "to form a more perfect Union." That no matter what happens, no matter how good things get, we should keep bettering ourselves. What's more aspirational than that? And Star Trek is supposed to show humanity at its best, isn't it?

I like how aspirational Star Trek is too, but you've got to be careful that the show doesn't get too aspirational to the point where humans are no longer humans. No matter how good we get, we'll still have our faults, however faint. Something like Section 31 still shows that bad side of us.

 

[firehawk12]

^
That totally depends on whether or not you believe in the Roddenberry philosophy for Trek.

He wanted his humans so perfect that they weren't even allowed to argue with each other on TNG.

 

[Almighty]

Made me realize how much I missed TNG. May have to go for a full series watch. =P

I am thinking the same thing myself. It has been well probably a decade now since I last watched TNG. Oh how I dread the first few seasons though.

Kirk and Picard bumbling around the universe like idiots thinking they're doing something good.

Can't speak for Kirk, but yeah I did view Picard like that for at least the first few seasons. The whole humanity evolved to perfection Picard was well annoying to me to say the least. It seems like sometime he was talking down to other species which seemed counter productive. That was probably my biggest problem with TNG was it went so over the top with the humans are now perfect. They really came across as some condescending self righteous assholes some times. Gene Roddenberry was pretty damn heavy handed with trying to shove that message down our throats. Trying to put this as delicate as I can I think TNG and Star Trek as a whole was better after Gene left. I personally think the misguided attempts to getting back to his extreme ideal is partially to blame for ruining Voyager.

 

[The Librarian]

^
That totally depends on whether or not you believe in the Roddenberry philosophy for Trek.

He wanted his humans so perfect that they weren't even allowed to argue with each other on TNG.

Eh. I don't think what I said defies Gene's ideal so much as Gene just took his ideal to the extreme.

 

[firehawk12]

Eh. I don't think what I said defies Gene's ideal so much as Gene just took his ideal to the extreme.

Well, it's why ardent Trek fans hate DS9. And it's also why DS9 probably could have only happened after Gene's death.

 

[evilwart]

Let me put it this way. If you assume this all along I don't see how you don't see the show as basically being this:
http://www.clipupload.com/clip/videos.php/photo/9611/SNL_Love_Boat_The_Next_Generation_Skit/

Kirk and Picard bumbling around the universe like idiots thinking they're doing something good.

Kirk and Picard are doing good. They believe the ideals that the Federation are built on. They go around the galaxy, exploring and meeting new civilizations and helping them out. And at its core, that's what Star Trek is.

But how the Federation sees and promotes itself is different from how it actually is. It sees itself as a bastion of righteousness in the galaxy, morally superior to imperial powers like the Romulans and Klingons. DS9 is the franchise that questions that image, showing the darker aspects of the Federation, making things more gray. The Federation is nowhere near the paradise it preached to be. When necessary it'd take questionable actions for the greater good. The Federation screwed over the Maquis for the greater good of peace with the Cardassians. If not for Sisko and Section 31's immoral actions, the Federation would have lost the war with the Dominion. The Federation are the most moral of the galaxy's powers. But sometimes, the Federation has to get its hands dirty and that's where groups like Section 31 come in.

DS9's deeper exploration of what the Federation is, is one of the reasons why its the best and worst Star Trek show. Best in the context is by far has the best characters, writing and acting. Worst in the context it goes against the original idea of what Star Trek is.

It's a criminal organization. It's not the equivalent of the Tal Shiar or the Obsidian Order. It only survived because almost nobody knew it existed and because of the power it was able to accumulate.

Everything Section 31 has done, the Tal Shiar and the Obsidian Order would do. Given what we've seen of those organizations, I don't see why assassination, kidnapping, torture, genocide, etc. would be off-limits.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

I didn't mind it, but I hated when they made it up-tempo, it felt so out of place.

I liked it just for humor purposes. I knew it was changing but I figured it would be something more traditional to placate the many complainers. But when it instead went the other direction and had more catchy guitar, hahahaha.

 

[The Librarian]

Well, it's why ardent Trek fans hate DS9. And it's also why DS9 probably could have only happened after Gene's death.

Heh. Because it strayed from that extreme it's one of the reasons why I think DS9 – aside from the TOS movies – is the most true to Gene's vision. Also, aside from whatever things DS9 did, it made sure that Earth was a paradise.

 

[Almighty]

Also, aside from whatever things DS9 did, it made sure that Earth was a paradise.

That it did. Man I would do unspeakable things to live on Star Treks Earth. Though I did get the impression that all the "core" Federation planets were more or less paradise even in DS9.(though do to climate some might not be quite paradise for humans) It was just those poor souls out on the frontier who had it rough.

 

[Zzoram]

I don't remember which Trek did it, I think it may have been DS9, but they once said that it's easy to be moral when you're living in paradise on Earth. On the frontier, where you're fighting for survival, those morals can become a liability. It's basically commentary on how people living comfortably in the West like to judge desperate people in poor countries without any understanding of the context of the decisions those desperate people make. It's basically what happened during the Katrina hurricane, fat comfortable people sitting at home watching TV were judging people for looting grocery stores for food when the alternative was starvation and death. Sure there was greedy looting by criminals as well but plenty of people were just trying to survive.

Also, even though the Federation has 100s of member worlds, why is it that every Starfleet crew is primarily human? You'd think that 1 planet in 100s wouldn't be so dominant. Maybe humans are more conquerers than they like to think. Maybe those 100s of worlds fall in line peacefully because of the mighty army of humanity. Sure other species are treated well as citizens, but I'm pretty sure that the Federation would never do anything that didn't have Earth's vote. Humans control the military might of the Federation and Earth is also the seat of Starfleet HQ and the main shipyard. Individual species don't seem to have large standing fleets anymore once they join the Federation. Species seem to join for Starfleet's protection from less benevolent conquerers. It mirrors how the UN/NATO are joint ventures but the USA is really the bulk of the military might and has veto power.

 

[Cheebo]

Roddenberry got way to obsessed with humans being perfect in TNG. In TOS he was fine with a crew that often bickered and argued with each other.

 

[The Librarian]

Also, even though the Federation has 100s of member worlds, why is it that every Starfleet crew is primarily human?

Because make-up and other stuff for a TV show costs money.

 

[Zzoram]

Because make-up and other stuff for a TV show costs money.

True, but when every Admiral is human, Starfleet looks more like a human empire with benevolent rulers. Vulcan ears can't be that expensive. Why don't they throw more Vulcans into the mix? Or at least have more Vulcan or alien Captains/Admirals?

 

[Cheebo]

True, but when every Admiral is human, Starfleet looks more like a human empire with benevolent rulers. Vulcan ears can't be that expensive. Why don't they throw more Vulcans into the mix? Or at least have more Vulcan or alien Captains/Admirals?

Because Trek writers have proven they have no idea how to write for Vulcans not named Spock or Sarek. Every other one comes across as a one-note robot.

 

[The Librarian]

True, but when every Admiral is human, Starfleet looks more like a human empire with benevolent rulers. Vulcan ears can't be that expensive. Why don't they throw more Vulcans into the mix? Or at least have more Vulcan or alien Captains/Admirals?

Saying not having more aliens as Starfleet admirals (there are a couple) makes Starfleet look like a human empire is pretty hilarious when you consider the only times we've seen the Federation president, the position is held by an alien.

 

[evilwart]

I don't remember which Trek did it, I think it may have been DS9, but they once said that it's easy to be moral when you're living in paradise on Earth. On the frontier, where you're fighting for survival, those morals can become a liability. It's basically commentary on how people living comfortably in the West like to judge desperate people in poor countries without any understanding of the context of the decisions those desperate people make. It's basically what happened during the Katrina hurricane, fat comfortable people sitting at home watching TV were judging people for looting grocery stores for food when the alternative was starvation and death. Sure there was greedy looting by criminals as well but plenty of people were just trying to survive.

Yeah it was DS9 and the Maquis. The Maquis were living in Cardassian occupied space after the Federation gave their worlds to the Cardassians in exchange for peace.

Also, even though the Federation has 100s of member worlds, why is it that every Starfleet crew is primarily human? You'd think that 1 planet in 100s wouldn't be so dominant. Maybe humans are more conquerers than they like to think. Maybe those 100s of worlds fall in line peacefully because of the mighty army of humanity. Sure other species are treated well as citizens, but I'm pretty sure that the Federation would never do anything that didn't have Earth's vote. Humans control the military might of the Federation and Earth is also the seat of Starfleet HQ and the main shipyard. Individual species don't seem to have large standing fleets anymore once they join the Federation.

Budget. It's cheaper to have most the ship's crew, aka background characters, as humans than spend time making unimportant background characters look diverse. Most of DS9's background characters were Bajoran, although that's really only a nose prosthetic for make-up.

 

[Zzoram]

Saying not having more aliens as Starfleet admirals (there are a couple) makes Starfleet look like a human empire is pretty hilarious when you consider the only times we've seen the Federation president, the position is held by an alien.

They make a point of showing an alien president to make the Federation seem more diverse. With Starfleet, they have never made that effort.

The Federation still seems like a human empire because it's values seem to be American with the addition of the Prime Directive from Vulcans. Also, the Federation president seems like a powerless figurehead because Starfleet makes all the decisions when it comes to dealing with new species or other empires. Every Trek Captain talks to Starfleet Command, not the Federation President. If humans aren't rulers, they are at least the muscle, not unlike the role the Jem'Hadar serve.

 

[Zzoram]

Budget. It's cheaper to have most the ship's crew, aka background characters, as humans than spend time making unimportant background characters look diverse. Most of DS9's background characters were Bajoran, although that's really only a nose prosthetic for make-up.

But DS9 was set on a Bajoran station and those Bajorans weren't Federation citizens or Starfleet officers. The Defiant crew that were in Starfleet were also all humans except Worf and Dax. Kira and Odo wear Bajoran uniforms and aren't part of the Federation or Starfleet.

 

[The Librarian]

They make a point of showing an alien president to make the Federation seem more diverse. With Starfleet, they have never made that effort.

The Federation still seems like a human empire because it's values seem to be American with the addition of the Prime Directive from Vulcans. Also, the Federation president seems like a powerless figurehead because Starfleet makes all the decisions when it comes to dealing with new species or other empires. Every Trek Captain talks to Starfleet Command, not the Federation President. If humans aren't rulers, they are at least the muscle, not unlike the role the Jem'Hadar serve.

lol The episodes of S4 in DS9 made it very clear that the President is in charge of Starfleet. You're taking too much away from real-world matters.

 

[Zzoram]

lol The episodes of S4 in DS9 made it very clear that the President is in charge of Starfleet. You're taking too much away from real-world matters.

Even if the President is technically in charge, Starfleet operates mostly autonomously, as it must when spread out across half the galaxy with time delayed communications to Starfleet HQ when at the frontier.

 

[evilwart]

But DS9 was set on a Bajoran station and those Bajorans weren't Federation citizens or Starfleet officers. The Defiant crew that were in Starfleet were also all humans except Worf and Dax. Kira and Odo wear Bajoran uniforms and aren't part of the Federation or Starfleet.

Yeah, what I meant was that on DS9, a Bajoran station, they had to have alien background characters. But on Starfleet ships lots of humans aren't out of place so they can get away with majority human crews. Unless it has to be for a storyline reason, Ensign Redshirt will always be human.

 

[Zzoram]

Yeah, what I meant was that on DS9, a Bajoran station, they had to have alien background characters. But on Starfleet ships lots of humans aren't out of place so they can get away with majority human crews. Unless it has to be for a storyline reason, Ensign Redshirt will always be human.

Yes ensign Redshirt can be human to save on cost since they don't typically have speaking roles. However, just shy of every captain and admiral we've ever seen has been human, and they wield the power in Starfleet. Certainly all the recurring role admirals have been human.

 

[The Librarian]

Even if the President is technically in charge, Starfleet operates mostly autonomously, as it must when spread out across half the galaxy with time delayed communications to Starfleet HQ when at the frontier.

Exploring the final frontier, and given the distances, a President can't weigh in on every little decision made by a captain out in space, but that doesn't mean Starfleet acts autonomously.

 

[Escape Goat]

True, but when every Admiral is human, Starfleet looks more like a human empire with benevolent rulers. Vulcan ears can't be that expensive. Why don't they throw more Vulcans into the mix? Or at least have more Vulcan or alien Captains/Admirals?

Because its extra money being spent on something thats not important to the story being told.

 

[Suairyu]

Because its extra money being spent on something thats not important to the story being told.

It's very important to the Star Trek story of acceptance, though. That you'd consider otherwise suggests you might be missing the point of the show.

But then again I'm sure I'd seen one or two non-human high-ranking starfleet members in TNG era. Did I imagine it?

 

[Escape Goat]

It's very important to the Star Trek story of acceptance, though. That you'd consider otherwise suggests you might be missing the point of the show.

Thats a theme but it may not be germane to the story of the week. Star Trek is a TV show on a budget. They're not going to spend money on something that has no relevance to the episode at hand. Not unless they're way under budget which probably never happens unless it takes place on established sets and has few SFX shots.

 

[evilwart]

It's very important to the Star Trek story of acceptance, though. That you'd consider otherwise suggests you might be missing the point of the show.

But then again I'm sure I'd seen one or two non-human high-ranking starfleet members in TNG era. Did I imagine it?

When Starfleet had been compromised and the Enterprise had to go back to Earth, there was a high ranking Vulcan on the council they confronted. Sisko had a rivalry with a Vulcan Starfleet Captain from his academy days, who appeared in an episode. I think that's about it. I always thought that the Andorians and Tellarites were strangely absent considering that they are founders of the Federation.

 

[firehawk12]

When Starfleet had been compromised and the Enterprise had to go back to Earth, there was a high ranking Vulcan on the council they confronted. Sisko had a rivalry with a Vulcan Starfleet Captain from his academy days, who appeared in an episode. I think that's about it. I always thought that the Andorians and Tellarites were strangely absent considering that they are founders of the Federation.

What's screwed up is that the ship on DS9 was an all Vulcan ship.

Some inclusive Federation!

 

[Escape Goat]

What's screwed up is that the ship on DS9 was an all Vulcan ship.

Some inclusive Federation!

What non-Vulcan would want to serve on a ship where the majority were Vulcan? Everyone would be suicidal from depression and boredom.

 

[evilwart]

What's screwed up is that the ship on DS9 was an all Vulcan ship.

Some inclusive Federation!

There was an all Vulcan ship in TOS as well!

 

[Zzoram]

What non-Vulcan would want to serve on a ship where the majority were Vulcan? Everyone would be suicidal from depression and boredom.

I'd like to think it would be more efficient.

 

[Almighty]

What non-Vulcan would want to serve on a ship where the majority were Vulcan? Everyone would be suicidal from depression and boredom.

Ha. I never thought of it that way, but yeah I imagine the worse assignment for most species would be serving on a majority Vulcan ship.

I can just see it now.

Starfleet Academy Graduate 1: "Hey looks like you got assigned to a star ship. I am so jealous right now"
Starfleet Academy Graduate 2: "Really let me see. What a minute doesn't that ship have almost an all Vulcan crew?"
Starfleet Academy Graduate 1: "Now that you mention it I think it does."
Starfleet Academy Graduate 2: "Where do I go to resign my commission?"

Seriously though I do agree that Starfleet seems very human heavy. Understandably when it comes to the shows as budgets and all, but at least in the movies they could of done a little more to add more aliens to crews/Starfleet. I imagine there is enough wiggle room in there budgets for that. As if you just look at it in universe(not from a show production standpoint) I can see Starfleet being thought of as more or less a human's only organization. With the token Vulcan here and there.