Today is the tenth "anniversary" of the 9/11 attacks. While televisions shows (like 24) and action movies fed the anti-Islamic Western fears and fed off those fears as well, other shows handled terrorism with dignity and reason. Enter Battlestar Galactica, the show that made us think about ideas that we never thought of before. By not using real places like America or Afghanistan, it could touch on themes without angering too many people. Some could see it as entertainment, while many who watched loved it for the messages it brought forth as it entertained with thick plots and rich characters. Let's take a look at how BSG made us rethink our position on terrorism, good and evil, and "the other".
In many ways, BSG tells the story of any peoples who were enslaved at one point. The series begins with the Cylons originally used as slaves revolting and retreating. The humans try to make peace, but have not had contact with them in 40 years...until the Cylons decide to wipe out humanity. They see this as what their one God wants them to do. Hmmmm. We're a Christian-based culture with one god in nearly all religions. As are the Muslims. Wow! In ancient times, the Christians also used this as an excuse to eradicate all polytheistic cultures or a different one god. If you didn't convert, you were imprisoned, enslaved, or sentenced to death. The Cylons AND the humans then ask why the humans deserve to live? They're a culture plagued by war, famine, and greed. The Cylons are better: Humans 2.0. Another reasons for cultural eradication.
Don't read ahead if you have not watched, or you will have the show spoiled. So...SPOILERS AHEAD!
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Fear and anger envelopes the surviving humans, as the Cylons chase them into extinction. Slowly the humans are losing their numbers, and they can't afford to lose any more. President Roslin's decisions, then, are motivated by keeping humanity alive, despite taking away many rights and freedoms she believes in. It's an unfortunate loss, but for the human race to survive, it needs to breed. Laws becomes more strict, as they did after our own 9/11 attacks. Rumors spread that anyone could be a Cylon when humans learns that Cylons look like them, much like Americans were thinking secretly and not-so-secretly that everyone who passed who had any Middle-eastern look to them were terrorists or possible terrorists.
So the Cylons become divided. We have two different factions and each model with their own personality. Hey, the humans are starting to see this too. In our reality, many's eyes are being opened. No Muslims are not all the same. They don't all believe in the same tactics. Here, we have one faction who wants to destroy all those who don't believe in their own narrow vision. And we have ones who accept other cultures and love others and even want to be a part of their culture. All Muslims are not terrorists. All Cylons are not terrorists.
The lines eventually become blurred. The human leaders begin to accept the Cylons and even their beliefs or at least question their own. And vice versa. They at least acknowledge and respect each others' views. This poses a problem for the general population, and a human rebellion ensues, just as a Cylon rebellion kicks off. The human rebellion is much like the Tea Party in that they're wanting rights for humans only. They want their freedoms rather than a controlling federal government. But humanity is in danger. Numbers are small still. Here is a question of situational human rights. Even though some of the Cylons are more human than the humans, these rebel humans see all Cylons still as murderous robots disguised as humans. In other words, you must see your enemy as non-human to kill. And the humans become less human by killing their own kind in their rebellion. As the humans want bloodshed in their rebellion, the rebel Cylons simply want to leave and start their own colony.
As the series ends and Cylon and human mingle, we're left thinking: what a nice ending; everyone goes in groups to start their own colonies all over the world. Everyone is now at peace now that they've reached their common destination. The Cavill-led Cylons go into space to find a new home, separate from the humans and the rebel Cylons. It's fitting in that it's what we should do: learn about each other, be immersed in each others' cultures, and love one another. Live with one another. It's simple. There's no need for warfare, for bloodshed. We can be a peaceful people, given worldly education. It's not to say we shouldn't be vigilant against real terrorists that try to harm us, but don't lump all Muslims together or all Americans together. Everyone is an individual with individual thoughts, and many of those individuals share common beliefs. Some are pro-war, some anti-war, some don't care. Some see all Muslims as terrorists. Some Muslims see all Americans as ungodly.
This can only be addressed, as so many activists say, through education. And our education system fails us because parents complain that their children are learning about that terrorism is okay. It's difficult, but the change will come. I know it will, even if it's one-sided. There will always be those who don't see eye to eye, like Cavill and his Cylons, who had to leave. But given the right, education, we can accomplish what was reflected in Battlestar Galactica.
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