Date: 27 Feb 2011 00:34 Title: Blending Opposites
Lovely, introspective piece, getting us into the mindset behind prejudices and allowing us to examine them with our head, not our hearts.
This is truly where the root of bigotry lies, and that root needs to be pulled out, bit by bit until it's gone, by each of us, if we ever hope to get past it. It was nice to see Miles reach that conclusion as well.
Date: 26 Feb 2011 18:48 Title: Blending Opposites
Interesting reflections on O'Brien's growth as a character, regarding his prejudice. Hearing his own words played in court--no matter how much of a sham the trial was--had to be just as poignant a moment for him as it was for Kirk to hear his words about the Klingons broadcast for the entire quadrant. I think having the entire quadrant know your attitude would be quite the wake-up call.
I agree with those who say that a follow-up piece with reflections upon the events of "Destiny" would have made a good addition or sequel.
Date: 26 Feb 2011 15:57 Title: Blending Opposites
"Computer, delete last sentence." That made me smile. This was a nice thoughtful piece from Miles's perspective. Good job.
Date: 23 Feb 2011 12:41 Title: Blending Opposites
Another terrific instalment to this tale and the entry to the Prejudice challenge. Again, Miles is the inspired choice for this. And again, the every man approach, using the personal log to tell the tale too, of Miles appreciating the truth of the matter, seeing beyond the Cardassian scales to see a boy, to see a father and see in them a parallel to himself because nothing is more every day and more important than family. Yes, prejudices are not easily overcome - but seeing people as 'human', as families is a big, BIG, step to overcoming such prejudices.
Date: 23 Feb 2011 03:54 Title: Blending Opposites
So, Miles Edward O'Brien had to say clever words to a boy (about not hating all people of a given race) and he also started to realise how true these words were.
I wonder, though, what he thought of Prokas, the Bajoran family that had raised Rugal, teaching Rugal that all Cardassians are devils--teaching a Cardassian child that his genes were bad. He hated himself for that, he hated the ridges he saw in the mirror. I hoped to see what O'Brien would think that of cruelty, because I consider it cruelty targeted at the innocent child.
Author's Response: Hmmm, hadn't thought of that. Guess it could be a subject for another story. The general focus for this one was how his time on DS9 and being around Bajorans stirred up old feelings. For that, it also includes references to Natima Lang and her students, as well as his thoughts Garak during the first two seasons of the series.
Date: 23 Feb 2011 00:46 Title: Blending Opposites
I enjoyed this piece of introspection from O'Brien (one of my favorite TNG/DS-9 characters). Clever idea to write it as a personal log entry. Kudos for nailing the challenge theme! Well done.
Date: 22 Feb 2011 14:25 Title: Dare Not Know
An interesting idea for a story and an interesting approach to the subject.
Hmm, O'Brien had to be really very blind to his own prejudice if calling the Cardassians "damn Cardies" is according to him a "legitimate suspicion." He was racist toward them since The Wounded and it didn't seem to change that much until he was really confronted with his own feelings in "Cardassians" episode and facing Rugal.
I'm looking forward to chapter 2. I also hope to see what O'Brien thought when a Cardassian woman misinterpreted his behaviour and became attracted to him--of all people, to a Cardassians-hater.
Author's Response: The next chapter is up, illustrating the point that ones prejudices are a result of what one doesn't know more what one already knows about a particular group of people. Miles insisted in "The Wounded" that he didn't have a problem with the Cardassians. His remark to Daro, though, could be construed negatively. His own prejudice becomes a little obvious in DS9. His use of the term "Legitimate suspicion" is a more subtle reference to a classic Picard line: "The road from legitimate suspicion to rampant paranoia is much shorter than we think." This is a log entry made after his trial on Cardassia, so the subplot of "Destiny" has not yet happened.
Date: 21 Feb 2011 15:30 Title: Dare Not Know
Well done E1981. I think Miles is often overlooked as a character because he was such an everyday everyman kinda character but there was so much that he went through. You look at that and give a good appraisal of things from his perspective. If Kira had cause to hate the Cardassians, O'Brien was the next in line in terms of the DS9 characters given his experiences before the station and then in his time there. So he is an apt choice to explore for the Prejudices challenge and you do a good job of exploring how he feels and thinks about things. Well done, again.
Author's Response: Thanks for the review. I was stuck on this until I read about O'Brien's DS9 being jokingly dubbed "O'Brien Must Suffer" episodes. That really speaks to how he's not infallible and that even in the "enlightened 24th century" humans are still capable of prejudice.