Donald Trump's controversial candidacy for president is meeting resistance in unusual places.
People and organizations around the world have been speaking out publicly against him — including the Arizona Republic, which broke a 126-year tradition of endorsing Republicans, and USA Today, which broke a 34-year tradition of not endorsing any candidate.
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.
Trump is openly and unapologetically misogynistic, racist, and intolerant. He wants to build a physical wall on the Mexican border, he wants to deport Muslims, he's joked about the assassination of Hillary Clinton, and he once made fun of a disabled reporter. And that's just a list of his greatest hits.
The latest group to speak out against The Donald is a coalition of over 70 writers, actors, directors, and producers spanning across 50 years of the "Star Trek" franchise.
In an unapologetically frank open letter, published to a Facebook page called Trek Against Trump, "Star Trek" actors, directors, producers, and crew members expressed their political stance that Donald Trump represents the opposite of everything "Star Trek" stands for and should not be allowed anywhere near the presidency.
Star Trek has always offered a positive vision of the future, a vision of hope and optimism, and most importantly, a...
Posted by Trek Against Trump on Thursday, September 29, 2016
"We cannot turn our backs on what is happening in the upcoming election," the letter reads. "Never has there been a presidential candidate who stands in such complete opposition to the ideals of the Star Trek universe as Donald Trump."
The letter was signed by J.J. Abrams (director of the 2009 "Star Trek" reboot), Scott Bakula (the captain from "Star Trek: Enterprise"), Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry (son of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry), many members of the late Leonard Nimoy's family, and many more.
Above all, Trek Against Trump urges people to get out and vote this November — and to make sure your vote actually counts:
"The resolution of conflicts on Star Trek was never easy. Don’t remain aloof –vote! We have heard people say they will vote Green or Libertarian or not at all because the two major candidates are equally flawed. That is both illogical and inaccurate. Either Secretary Clinton or Mr. Trump will occupy the White House. One is an amateur with a contemptuous ignorance of national laws and international realities, while the other has devoted her life to public service, and has deep and valuable experience with the proven ability to work with Congress to pass desperately needed legislation. If, as some say, the government is broken, a protest vote will not fix it."
The letter includes a link to Rock the Vote, a nonprofit organization that helps people register.
While "Star Trek" hasn't always been overtly political, it's a franchise that was built on a philosophy of humanism, inclusiveness, equality, and an idealistic vision for a peaceful future.
Trek Against Trump is not wrong about Trump's political views being in direct opposition to the values of "Star Trek."
GIF via "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan."
Whether on TV or movie screens, "Star Trek" has always valued diversity, multiculturalism and tolerance — the opposite of walls, deportations, and hateful rhetoric. This is a show that featured the first interracial kiss on television and counted Martin Luther King Jr. among its fans. In fact, the entire basis of Vulcan philosophy is "Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations" (abbreviated as IDIC).
"Star Trek" takes place in a society without greed or the idolization of wealth.
"We’ve overcome hunger and greed, and we’re no longer interested in the accumulation of things," Capt. Jean Luc Picard says on "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
In contrast, Donald Trump, announced his candidacy for president in a rambling speech that included the phrase, "I'm really rich!"
GIF via "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
When you're standing in the way of the values of "Star Trek," you're probably standing in the wrong place.
The fact is, "Star Trek" has spent 50 years painting a beautiful vision of a future without hate, greed, or intolerance.
As Bryan Fuller, who is spearheading the new "Star Trek" TV series "Star Trek: Discovery," tweeted with his endorsement of #TrekNotTrump, if we ever want to live in the future that "Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry envisioned, electing Donald Trump is not the way to get us there.