# Deep Space Nine : "For the Uniform"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deep-space-nine-for-the-uniform/258392>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 5, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deep-space-nine-for-the-uniform/258392 "2004-08-05T02:33:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deep-space-nine-for-the-uniform/258392/21 "2004-08-06T05:07:19Z")

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I always figured some Maquis hiding out somewhere would somehow find a secret computer fime in DS9’s computer core with Sisko’s confession of complicity in the assasination of the Romulan Senator in pulling the Romulan Star Empire into the Dominion War…and using that as blackmail in not only releasing Maquis Prisoners from jail, recognizing their cause as legitimate, but also MAKING the UFP take back the territory it gave away.

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**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deep-space-nine-for-the-uniform/258392/22 "2004-08-06T11:50:35Z")

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As I’ve said before, it sometimes looks like the Federation is more of a military dictatorship than a functioning democracy. Starfleet can do whatever it wants, and civilians just have to get out of the way.

In fact, do we really know that the Federation _is_ a democracy? I can’t remember every hearing anyone talk about elections or a change in administration or anything like that.

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deep-space-nine-for-the-uniform/258392/23 "2004-08-06T15:23:26Z")

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I’d say the Federation is not so much a democracy as it is a Meritocracy;

Rulers not elected by popular consent, but rather appointed by established authority through recognized ability.

I say this because Jaresh Inyo…UFP President during DS9…recalls to Sisko how the Federation Council came together and OFFERED him the post of the Presidency; he made no statement about an election. :dubious:

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**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deep-space-nine-for-the-uniform/258392/24 "2004-08-06T16:24:22Z")

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> [@Enola Straight](#):
>
> I’d say the Federation is not so much a democracy as it is a Meritocracy;
> 
> Rulers not elected by popular consent, but rather appointed by established authority through recognized ability.
> 
> I say this because Jaresh Inyo…UFP President during DS9…recalls to Sisko how the Federation Council came together and OFFERED him the post of the Presidency; he made no statement about an election. :dubious:

Wow. That sounds like an aristocracy. Power in the hands of an elite few.

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**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deep-space-nine-for-the-uniform/258392/25 "2004-08-06T16:37:27Z")

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Either that, or like a parliamentary system.

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**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deep-space-nine-for-the-uniform/258392/26 "2004-08-06T21:28:31Z")

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> [@Aesiron](#):
>
> …and there’s only one R in Kirk’s middle name. (I wonder how many people will get that?)

I don’t think I get it, but it’s “Tiderius,” right?

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**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deep-space-nine-for-the-uniform/258392/27 "2004-08-06T22:12:52Z")

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In “Where No Man Has Gone Before”, Gary Mitchell creates a tombstone for Kirk during their fight and it reads James R. Kirk and most ubertrekkies believe R stood for **R** obe **r** t, a reference to Robert April, which is what Roddenberry originally intended to name the captain.

And it’s Tiberius. He’s named after a Roman emperor.

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