# Dr. McCoy: Angel of mercy or racist bastard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883 "2003-07-16T14:21:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zorro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ad7895/32.png) [@Zorro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zorro)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/21 "2003-07-16T17:02:26Z")
It’s OK. I was just just trying to inject some “Great Debates” style polemic into the thread so that it can stay here. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/22 "2003-07-16T17:08:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TWDuke \* > \*\* I seem to remember a line in the film where they return to earth aboard a Klingon ship where he commented on the Klingon “stench”. \*\* The whole crew commented on it in _The Undiscovered Country_, to the point that I thought their xenophobia would be a plot device. …there goes my point that he only hassled Spock… ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/23 "2003-07-16T17:09:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TWDuke \* > \*\*It is not necessarily true that members of different species can’t produce fertile offspring. > > [Exhibit A](http://www.bengalcat.com/aboutbengals/foundation.php) > > \*\* If they produce non-sterile offspring, what evidence is there that they are different species? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/24 "2003-07-16T17:13:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > **The whole crew commented on it in _The Undiscovered Country_, to the point that I thought their xenophobia would be a plot device.** Terrible table manners? In fact, it was a plot device. The whole point of that movie was about how prejudice causes us to do stupid things. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/25 "2003-07-16T17:37:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zorro \* > \*\*It’s OK. I was just just trying to inject some “Great Debates” style polemic into the thread so that it can stay here. \*\* Cite?!? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/26 "2003-07-16T17:44:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tdn \* > \*\* The whole point of that movie was about how prejudice causes us to do stupid things. \*\* It was so lightly done for Trek. They usually paint one side white and the other black. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/27 "2003-07-16T17:44:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tdn \* > \*\*Genusist? Genusist is forbidden! Take permits many, money more! \*\* Groan. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/28 "2003-07-16T23:23:44Z")
Posted by **TWDuke:** [QUOTE] Now, you wouldn’t expect humans to be able to breed with energy beings, corrosive silicon-blobs or brains in jars, but if environmental pressures could result in independent development of creatures that closely resemble humans wearing false ears or prosthetic foreheads, it’s conceivable that their genitals could fit together and their chromosomes line up correctly. Not bloody likey, but conceivable. [QUOTE] No, **TWDuke,** it is not conceivable. It is physically possible that at some moment all the molecules of air around me will, by sheer chance, all happen to be sent in the same direction at once by random Brownian motion, go over to the other side of the room and leave me in a vacuum. But I do not expect such an unlikely thing will ever happen from now until the universe grows cold. It is on the same order of probability that you or I might be able to breed with an extraterrestrial humanoid who, despite similar appearance, is not related to us at all. We would have better luck trying to cross a human with a carrot. This problem, however, was more-or-less resolved in an episode (I forget the title) of _TNG:_ It was revealed that all humanoid species in the _Star Trek_ universe are products of a genetic seeding program by an ancient and now-extince race of humanoids: They sent probes all over the galaxy to find life-bearing planets, and implant genetic markers in the indigenous life that would in essence program the biosphere to, one day, produce humanoids, down to such details as four fingers and a thumb on each hand. If we can swallow that – then it is not inconceivable that these probes also programmed the resulting humanoid species to be sexually compatible and fertile with each other. But **only** such a highly contrived plot device can account for such a result. “Convergent evolution,” my two-cheeked ass! Convergent evolution gave the shark and the porpoise and the ichthysaur similar shapes, but that doesn’t mean they can breed! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/29 "2003-07-16T23:36:42Z")
I do remember giving considerable thought to the entire issue regarding possible genetic interaction between species. As I recall, the question centered specificly on Julie Newmar. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/30 "2003-07-16T23:42:17Z")
PS: I note with dismay **TW** and **BrainG** ’s droll use of the verb “conceive”. Don’t start thinking you can get away with that kind of shit around here. We know where it can lead. And if either of you starts posting limericks, be advised: I _will_ track you down. I _will_ find you. You have been warned. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/31 "2003-07-17T00:02:33Z")
In the context of alien species, “race” means “intelligent species”. Ever heard of the human race? Furthermore, I think it’s unreasonable to assume that the old biological ideas won’t need to be redefined if we ever run across life that developed somewhere else. So saying “anything that can breed with a human is the same species as a human” is really only true if you’re looking at the life forms we already know. The definition of “species” that we have now does not take into account aliens. I didn’t really see enough of TOS to determine if McCoy was racist, but that Pulaski! She was undeniably racist againt artificial intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/32 "2003-07-17T00:50:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\*I didn’t really see enough of TOS to determine if McCoy was racist, but that Pulaski! She was undeniably racist againt artificial intelligence. \*\* But she was sure anxious to experience some of that Klingon romantic poetry! ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/33 "2003-07-17T00:58:40Z")
McCoy and Spock were great friends. They just had complicated ways of expressing it sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/34 "2003-07-17T01:10:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tdn \* > \*\*“Why you green blooded, pointy eared, cold hearted, half-breed, goat felching Vulcan!” > > I saw an episode of TOS the other week and was pretty shocked at what today might be considered unacceptable racial epithets. \*\* Goat felching? cite? ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/35 "2003-07-17T01:39:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tdn \* > \*\*“Why you green blooded, pointy eared, cold hearted, half-breed, goat felching Vulcan!” > > I saw an episode of TOS the other week and was pretty shocked at what today might be considered unacceptable racial epithets. \*\* On the other hand, McCoy _did_ do Spock the service of giving him back his brain. And carrying Spock’s mind around for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/36 "2003-07-17T01:48:20Z")
Don’t forget that McCoy got married to an alien. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/37 "2003-07-17T01:51:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rolandgunslinger \* > \*\*Goat felching? cite? \*\* You never saw _Amok Time_? The hell are you doing posting in a Trek thread? ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/38 "2003-07-17T02:47:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > \*\*You never saw _Amok Time_? > The hell are you doing posting in a Trek thread? \*\* ummm…see I…Ummm…OKAY YOU FOUND ME OUT! I know nothing about STAR TREK…I’m sorry…please forgive me. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/39 "2003-07-17T02:53:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elucidator \* > \*\*I do remember giving considerable thought to the entire issue regarding possible genetic interaction between species. As I recall, the question centered specificly on Julie Newmar. \*\* You know, in spite of her character’s name, she wasn’t REALLY a cat-woman. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883/40 "2003-07-17T02:58:05Z")
How can Dr. McCoy be a racist, when he himself is a blue-furred mutant? Or didn’t you mean Dr. **Hank** McCoy? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-mccoy-angel-of-mercy-or-racist-bastard/188883.md?page=3)