Learning from the Halkans

We are ethically compelled to deny your demands

The Halkans are my heroes. We can learn much from them.

Unless you’re a serious Star Trek (the original series) fan, you’re probably already lost. Who are the Halkans? Why are they heroic? What can we learn from them?

The Halkans are a race of people in the Star Trek universe whose planet is rich in dilithium crystals, the critical power source for starships. (Think of the Halkans as sitting on a vast reservoir of oil or uranium or even lithium nowadays.) They are, however, a peace-loving people who refuse to share their dilithium with anyone who’d use this resource to inflict harm on others.

In the Star Trek episode “Mirror, Mirror” in which the Halkans are introduced, they face two different versions of the Enterprise, Captain Kirk, and the Federation of Planets. The first version is the “good” Federation, where Kirk respectfully asks for the crystals as part of legitimate trade. The Halkans aren’t totally convinced, but they’re impressed that the Federation is asking, rather than taking, and the Halkans agree to consider it.

The second version is the so-called ISS Enterprise (the I stands for imperial), which exists in a parallel universe in which an “evil” version of the Federation simply demands the crystals, threatening to lay waste to the planet if the Halkans refuse to bend the knee and comply.

The Halkans are not cowed. Rather than give dilithium to a warmongering empire, they stand ready to die as a people.

As Tharn, the leader of the Halkans explains in the video above, he is “ethically compelled to deny” demands for the crystals because the ISS Enterprise would “use their power to destroy.” When it’s explained to him that he and his people will be wiped out for denying the empire, Tharn replies it is a price he and his people are willing to pay “to preserve what we are.”

The Halkans have principles. They seek to preserve life. They are against war and destruction. And they are willing to die for their beliefs.

I can’t help but think here of the Biden administration and a bipartisan Congress giving Israel every weapon it demands to despoil and destroy Gaza. Where are America’s principles? Do we bear no responsibility for what is being done with weaponry that we freely give to Israel? Which some politicians even brag and boast of giving to Israel?

Why are we not ethically compelled to deny Israel’s demands for more and more weaponry for more and more mass death in Gaza? Why do we lack the courage of the Halkans?