I am in an interesting position. I was born and reared in the South. Virginia to be specific. In fact, you may say I come from the area whose decendents are former plantation material. I, however, come from a line that fought against those I live among. My great-great-grandfather came from New York, so I have a split lineage. I have been called (in non-verbal form, if not actual words) an aristocratic backward Southerner that should be disdained for what other people did to the Union and to Blacks, and by others a carpetbagging scalawag that should be held at arms length for how my people raped the land.

What I see here is something I've been studying all year in my industrial-organizational psychology classes. We see group labels attached, creating the "us vs them" mentality, which, by the presence of our defining characteristics, pits some against others. My advice to us all (including myself, I too fall into the trap) is to concentrate on what I/O pscyhologists call "superordinate goals" here. In the case of this forum, Star Trek and finding a better way to live with one another. It's fun to dwell on differences, we learn from them, but let's not let it get so out of hand it produces hard feeelings.

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All Sisko needs is ANOTHER tall ship and a star to steer her by.

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"Warfare is the greatest affair of state, the basis of life and death, the Tao to survivial or extinction. It must be thoroughly pondered and analyzed."

"...attaining one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the pinnacle of excellence. Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence."

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'Sir, you've been ordered not to take Polermo'

'Ring General HQ, ask them if they want me to give it back'.

well, 'bout this here topic on Yankees....i figure as I've gotten sumpthin' t'say I might as well say it. (*L*...drops fake accent now) I'm from Nashville, originally Memphis, TN...we have "yankees" living all around us...something about nashville they must like...*snickers* the warmer weather maybe? Anyhow, Jeff and I have talked about this, and I basically came to this conclusion: I hate being called a redneck, hick, hillbilly, etc, associated with those of us in the south...he hates being called a yankee. (...even in jest, i found out ...ouch :P ) so, i make my statement: ignore Nike's motto (i hate nike anyway...hehe) "Just DON'T do it". Pleh. Dont' call me a hick, and i won't get all ticked and try and call you ...whatever you 'are' *L*

--G.R.I.T.S.: Girl Raised In The South. (hehe..proud of it, too!)

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**The Light only shines in the dark, and sometimes innocence is just an excuse for the guilty**