BackTrekking returns again to look back at the real-world inspirations of classic Trek episodes!

This week, hosts Ka1iban and GooeyFame are talking about the all-time great Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Measure of a Man" and the Supreme Court case of 1857 that inspired it, Dred Scott vs. Sandford! Dred Scott was a slave who fought in the courts for his freedom and his amazing story formed the basis for a similar tale about Data being put on trial to defend his right to exist!

On the show, we talk about the historical facts in the case of Dred Scott, the turmoil present in the divided America of the Antebellum era, his right honorable dumdum dodo Roger B. Taney, our very human Founding Fathers, and the WORST DECISION the Supreme Court ever made. We also talk about the subtle mastery of Melinda Snodgrass's script for "Measure", robo racism, the "pleasant" language of oppression, the wisdom of having Whoopi in the episode, Jonathan "Face Acting" Frakes, plucking a pigeon, the lack of AI in Trek, and Riker putting his leg up on himself!

Tweet at the show or your hosts with your suggestions for future episodes!
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http://www.twitter.com/gooeyfame

See Kal's interview with Melinda Snodgrass about "The Measure of a Man"
https://www.facebook.com/eistpod/videos/1893178130987304/

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Theme: Disco Medusae Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
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