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Re: ENT S2: Cogenitor

"The point is not that Starfleet should not interfere. The point is that an individual starship does not have the right, means or perspective to do so."

I suppose I can agree with that. Sometimes, however, I get the impression that the writers are suggesting that interference is never the right option, even for larger bodies of power, such as United Earth/UFP.

I can see why so-called 'cowboy diplomacy' can be dangerous, but I would at least hope that the United Earth/UFP as a whole would at least consider some way of influencing the species' treatment of their cogenitor for the better, if they can safely do so.

On another note, I had just finished watching the episode when I said that I wouldn't watch Star Trek again. While I do have a couple major issues with the series (including the Prime-Directive), I still love it too much.

Re: ENT S2: Cogenitor

Trip had a good heart but the way went about it was dangerous. The aliens were obviously superior in capability and could destory humanity completely if they wished. While intervention to prevent the aliens' treatment of their third gender would be ideal if possible, Trip could have triggered a war that Starfleet couldn't fight.

The species' treatment of their third gender was indefensible and I do not agree that it would be unethical for another civilization to interfere if that civilization was capable of doing so. The concept of 'human rights' is not exclusive to humans and should more accurately be called 'sentient rights', and while it may be impossible to define 'sentient rights' perfectly, I think 'the right to not be enslaved for sex' is well enough within even poorly-defined boundaries to be upheld.

The problem with the Prime Directive is that it places rights around cultures as a whole, while it should be placed around individual rights.

For those of you who believe that it is more important to accept cultural differences even if those cultures are messed up (in other words, those who think that Archer was right to mouth-off to Trip), I have this to say to you:

What if there was a race of aliens who gathered young children at random, kept them in small cages as sex slaves, fed them dog food, and then killed them when they became adults?

I bet you would not stop them even if you could. You would say some bullcrap like 'I know, it seems wrong, but it's not out business to interfere with their culture.'

If I was Trip, I would have resigned from Starfleet over this matter. If Starfleet/The Federation/Prime Directive is more concerned about non-interference with other cultures than about justice, than I would be a dissident if I lived in that universe. Some of our concepts are unique to humans, but there are also some things that I belive are naturally universal, and it is those things which I believe are okay to force onto other cultures if they don't comply to those standards.

I found this episode to be infuriating, disgusting, and immoral, and I frankly don't know if I will ever watch Star Trek again.