“I encourage everybody to never argue with fools and lead with love.”
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy actor Karim Diane exudes the mindset and attitude all fans of the beloved science fiction franchise should possess, and that’s love, particularly when it comes to the undue criticism SFA endured during the show’s first season.
Nevertheless, despite despicably desperate internet trolls and so-called Trek enthusiasts who haven’t the slightest inkling what Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations (IDIC) really stands for, Diane is setting the example everyone should follow when encountering critical curmudgeons.
“I wanna just say that whenever a fool approaches you and they’re yelling in your face looking for an argument, and you respond like this [pretending to be angry] from afar, you can’t tell which is the fool,” Diane said (per TrekMovie.com).
“So, I learned that whenever fools are arguing with me, in person or on the internet, to respond with love, because that is my purpose and that’s what I want to spread,” Diane continued. “And oftentimes, when I respond with love… like somebody who came up to the other day was like, something nasty, I don’t even know, something crazy.”
Diane, who portrays one of Starfleet Academy’s most intriguing cadets, Klingon Jay-Den Kraag, added:
“And I think I responded with ‘Oh, so sorry you feel that way. Wish you the best.’ And then he responded, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t mean to!’ You’d be surprised how often that happens. So sometimes you cannot convert people but at least make them approach it a little differently. So, I encourage everybody to never argue with fools and lead with love.”
Unfortunately, Diane’s character came under heavy fire from so-called fans, who couldn’t appreciate Jay-Den wanting to help others by becoming a Starfleet Medical Officer, as opposed to leaning into the stereotype that all Klingons are warriors and nothing else.
Try laying that nonsense at the feet of Star Trek’s most beloved Klingon, Worf (Michael Dorn), who evolved far beyond the stereotypical warrior mentality by the time his character returned in season 3 of Picard.
And what about Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner) from The Undiscovered Country? Who could argue — although I know some of the most stubborn will try — that Gorkon’s legacy was one of hope for everlasting peace that left fighting far behind?
I also want to put it out there for those true Trekkies and Trekkers who might witness so-called fans disrespecting Starfleet Academy actors like Diane or other Star Trek performers at conventions or in public spaces: take a page from another Klingon and remember, “a warrior does not let a friend face danger alone.”
Now, share your thoughts and comments with us about Karim Diane’s kindhearted response to the undue Starfleet Academy criticism from toxic corners of the Star Trek fandom — if they can even be called fans — on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages. And remember to lead with love.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!
Add us as a preferred source on Google