Atoz 77
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Post by Atoz 77 on Jun 15, 2009 7:49:06 GMT -6
Commander Kurn of the Klingon Imperial Defense Force comes aboard the Enterprise as part of the officer exchange program, and Worf is astonished to learn that he has a younger brother! But Kurn has another bombshell -- their father, Mogh, has been accused of treason in connection with the Romulan attack on the planet Khitomer 20 years ago, the attack that claimed his own life! Worf immediately requests permission from Picard to go to the Klingon capitol city and challenge the accusation.
One thing confuses me about this episode is that according to Klingon law, sons of a traitor are apparently considered equally guilty. It is stressed over and over again that if Mogh is found guilty of treason, Worf will also be executed. In the end, unable to prove his father's innocence, he compromises by accepting "Discommendation", which K'mpec says is the same as admitting his father's guilt!
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Post by andrewlee on Jun 15, 2009 8:08:28 GMT -6
I have had the same thoughts about this situation! It seems Klingon law and tradition are very harsh compared to human standards!!!
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kijuro
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Post by kijuro on Jun 15, 2009 8:37:59 GMT -6
Well, this is what made me hate the Duras family. Well, except for B'Etor.
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Atoz 77
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Post by Atoz 77 on Jun 18, 2009 7:53:50 GMT -6
It's not so much that I'm complaining about the harshness of Klingon custom and law. I'm just asking What is Discommendation? And why wasn't it brought up earlier as an alternative?
BTW, this reminds me of something I read once about the Vikings of Earth. They didn't believe in imprisonment. Slaves (or "thralls") could be whipped or beaten for minor offenses, but for free men, most crimes (up to and including homicide) could be dealt with by paying reparations to the family of the victim. If a person couldn't or wouldn't pay, the only punishment was death or exile (which amounted to the same thing in those days).
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Post by andrewlee on Jun 18, 2009 8:09:10 GMT -6
Thanks for the Viking history lesson Atoz. As far as history goes, the Romans were among the most cruel and unjust in dealing with people from criminals, slaves and their lower classes of citizens!
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Atoz 77
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Post by Atoz 77 on Jun 18, 2009 8:19:12 GMT -6
I hope Lucius didn't see what you wrote about Romans!
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Post by andrewlee on Jun 18, 2009 8:24:07 GMT -6
Atoz I didn't know Lucius was a fan of the Romans. I don't totally despise them. They did make great contributions, some of which we still use.
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kijuro
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Post by kijuro on Jun 18, 2009 16:05:40 GMT -6
The Romans and feudal Japan.
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Post by andrewlee on Jun 18, 2009 16:27:39 GMT -6
Many, but not all of the cultures of the past were unjust and brutal!
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Luke
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Post by Luke on Jun 24, 2009 10:25:47 GMT -6
*I hope Lucius didn't see what you wrote about Romans!*
I dont take offence, sir, because I know he means ancient Romans. In those days punishment was for deterence. Romans didnt fear death so to deter criminals punishmenst had to be as painful as they could think of. Thats why they were always done in public so everybody could see how painful they were.
Discommendation is a Latin root word that means basically to set apart. So its probably like voluntary exile.
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Post by andrewlee on Jun 24, 2009 18:46:53 GMT -6
I didn't know the Romans didn't fear death and that it was why they made it so painful.
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kijuro
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Post by kijuro on Jun 25, 2009 7:54:04 GMT -6
Watching the filth in the arenas probably de-sensitized them.
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Atoz 77
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Post by Atoz 77 on Jun 26, 2009 7:45:04 GMT -6
Obviously pain wouldn't work as a punishment for Klingons, because they seem to enjoy it. They use pain sticks in the Rite of Ascension, in fact.
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Luke
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Post by Luke on Jun 27, 2009 8:22:13 GMT -6
*Watching the filth in the arenas probably de-sensitized them.* I was thinking more of the Stoic philosophy as set outby the emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. Death is to be neither feared nor embraced but accepted for the reality it is. If an honorable death so much the better. It seems to me the Klingons feel much the same way. I feel that Worf accepted Discommendation because it was the only way to prevent his brother Curn from being killed needlessly.
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kijuro
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Post by kijuro on Jun 27, 2009 12:59:12 GMT -6
I agree with your assessment of Worf's motivations. However, I doubt that the average Plebian subscribed to Imperial philosophy. They were too busy cowering under Patrician oppression.
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