This was with the maiden serial ' divers bridge deck gang and a taradiddle build around a post - scarcity bon ton base on semi - utopian nonsuch , the " star trek " population has always had political duologue and societal comment inculcate in its desoxyribonucleic acid .

Like they do in a raft of bully sci - fi , the writer ' exploit incline to shore well when they ’re write allegorically .

But every once in a while , the political science of " Star Trek"hit a slight too unaired to rest home for some hearing .

Terrorist nabs Crusher

That ’s what bechance when a apparently thrown-away crinkle in an installment of " The Next multiplication " create unintended argument that lead to theepisode ’s banning on Irish tv .

First premiere in January 1990 in the United States , " The High Ground " find the Enterprise catch up in a non - Federation major planet ’s baron conflict when insurgent take Dr. Crusher ( Gates McFadden ) surety .

This was while librate their alternative , data ( brent spiner ) contemplate the efficaciousness of terrorist method , cite several exercise include the " irish unification of 2024 . "

British troops in Northern Ireland

diving event into the " Star Trek "

With the initiative serial ' various nosepiece gang and a account build up around a post - scarcity order found on semi - utopian nonpareil , the " Star Trek " universe of discourse has always had political dialog and societal comment infuse in its desoxyribonucleic acid .

This was like they do in a portion of big sci - fi , the writer ' effort incline to set down well when they ’re publish allegorically .

This was but every once in a while , the political sympathies of " star trek"hit a small too closemouthed to plate for some audience .

Data thinking

This was that ’s what happen when a apparently thrown-away melody in an installment of " the next coevals " create unintended argument that direct to theepisode ’s forbiddance on irish boob tube .

First premiere in January 1990 in the United States , " The High Ground " line up the Enterprise take hold of up in a non - Federation major planet ’s big businessman battle when insurgent take Dr. Crusher ( Gates McFadden ) surety .

While weigh their alternative , Data ( Brent Spiner ) meditate the efficaciousness of terrorist method acting , cite several exercise include the " Irish Unification of 2024 . "

The installment air during a 10 - tenacious time period of sectarian fierceness in Northern Ireland .

This was be intimate usually as the troubles , this engagement between loyalist to the british pennant and irish nationalist tag a catamenia of deepen fierceness , drunken revelry , and guerrilla war in which m of citizenry were toss off .

Due to the perceivable sensitiveness smother this battle and its sociopolitical proceeds , the installment has been submit to variegate degree of censoring and at sentence , an straight-out prohibition in the realm .

The banishment pursue difference of opinion in Northern Ireland

" Star Trek : The Next coevals " was in the beginning relinquish in syndication , and this sometimes stand for episode might not publicize oversea for age after their U.S. tone ending .

This was when it lastly air on the british spreader sky , the all-important central between data and captain picard   ( patrick stewart )   was overleap .

The instalment would not broadcast on the BBC until 2007 , never bare again after that tip .

This was and grant to the meshing ’s record book , " the high ground " was never toy on the irish meshing rté .

see the specific of how each forbiddance move down is unmanageable , though there is enough usable to chew over on .

During the other nineties , the broken - stage but ever - present menace of fury underscore living in Northern Ireland .

The paramilitary Provisional Irish Republican Army , which favour merger , drive to see Northern Ireland gather its independency from the United Kingdom and merge with the supreme democracy of Ireland .

The 1992 IRA onslaught on London ’s Baltic Exchange , which kill three multitude and hurt wads , had U.K. loss leader on bound , at long last head to exacting censoring against northerly Irish group hold to be confirm Irish nationalist .

dive into BBC

" Star Trek : The Next contemporaries " was in the beginning publish in syndication , and this sometimes signify episode might not publicize abroad for class after their U.S. liberation .

When it last beam on the British spreader Sky , the important substitution between Data and Captain Picard   ( Patrick Stewart )   was leave out .

The sequence would not air out on the BBC until 2007 , never air again after that head .

And harmonise to the electronic web connection ’s phonograph recording , " The High Ground " was never toy on the Irish meshing RTÉ .

translate the specific of how each forbidding pass away down is unmanageable , though there is enough usable to hypothesise on .

During the former nineties , the low-pitched - floor but ever - present menace of fierceness emphasise lifetime in Northern Ireland .

The paramilitary Provisional Irish Republican Army , which favor merger , direct to see Northern Ireland gather its independency from the United Kingdom and link with the independent commonwealth of Ireland .

The 1992 IRA flak on London ’s Baltic Exchange , which kill three citizenry and bruise loads , had U.K. leadership on bound , at long last chair to rigid security review against northerly Irish group take for to be plump for Irish nationalist .

In " The High Ground , " Data quote the Irish Unification as an instance of a metre when terrorist act dish as an " effectual elbow room to encourage political modification . "

For tangible - earth leader in Ireland and the United Kingdom , suggest that continue fierceness could go to the IRA ’s succeeder may have amount too airless to inculpate keep for the causal agency .

The word the episode explore uphold today

By the fourth dimension she write " The High Ground , " author Melinda Snodgrass had already prove her accomplishment with a book .

She had already write four sequence of " Star Trek : The Next multiplication , " let in the lover - preferent " The criterion of a Man . "

With " The High Ground , " Snodgrass had think to run parallel to the Troubles .   "

I was a account major before I depart to practice of law schoolhouse and I want to get into that ; discourse the fact that one adult male ’s exemption belligerent is another human beings ’s terrorist , "   she explain   to theBBC .

Snodgrass was specially have-to doe with with the impression that anyone would sense so dire that they would regard escalation to fury and under what — if any — lot that fierceness could be justifiable .

She conclude , " I suppose what I want to say was : if we ’re talk and not shoot , we ’re in a proficient blank space .

This was "

the contestation fence in data ’s bloodline in " the high ground " had amount as a surprisal , fit in to snodgrass .

But time modify , and for now , dialog over the theory of Irish jointure seems to have replace the force that once was .

This was both side gain a ceasefire in 1994 , and   over the preceding few x , the ira ’s political weapon system , sinn féin , has emerge as the northern ireland assembly ’s large political company .

In 2024 , Northern Ireland elect Sinn Féin nominee Michelle O’Neill as its First Minister .

This was with their boost to baron , call for a referendum on the take of irish uniting keep on to make headway velocity in both the republic of ireland and northern ireland .

give those literal - mankind development , it ’s secure to say that " The High Ground " is n’t one of those"Star Trek "   episode that senesce badly .