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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Police Reports Schneider Art Museum installation re-imagines Rivera UPDATED: Two lanes open after I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit 10 things to know for Friday Education New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Why OLLI matters: A personal perspective Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Rotary Club of Ashland names Riley O'Sullivan as Student of the Month Environment Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Snow hopes dashed, Mt. Ashland Ski Area hosts season-ending party Saturday Iconic Ashland bookstore to celebrate 35th anniversary on April 19 Test Drive: 2015 Honda Accord Cars We Remember: The original Candymatic Ramchargers Politics and elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for first year Grassroots group campaigns for Plaza paver do-over Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Nation - World Obituaries Death Notices Alicia Applegate Hardy Death Notices Rosalind Dee Death Notices Shareable Sports Latest Stories Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Blazers fight back, edge Jazz Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory High school Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Southern Oregon University Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Ducks enjoy the challenge Oregon bows out Voices Latest Stories Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Letters to the Editor, March 27 Editorial Our View: Build it; they will play Our View: How it should work Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Letters Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Letters to the Editor, March 23 Letters to the Editor, March 20 Letters to the Editor, March 19 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Columns Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Top 5 things to do this week Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Community blog: Words, wine and Craig Wright 4 Things To Do This Week Theater Ticket availability Ticket Availability Ashland Contemporary Theatre seeks new artistic director Ticket Availability The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Music Futureshock: Kendrick Lamar release points to road ahead Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: In ‘Danny Collins,’ Pacino helps us imagine a Lennon story Noah Baumbach talks Ben Stiller, adult comedies and more In 'Timbuktu,' lust for power disturbs peace Movie review: ‘The Gunman’ misses the target Movie listings: March 20-26 Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Inner Peace: The good, the bad and the spiritual Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... Antionette Kerr: Nimoy's legacy lives on in 'Star Trek' Comment By Antionette Kerr More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Antionette Kerr More Content Now Posted Mar. 6, 2015 at 8:25 AM Updated Mar 6, 2015 at 8:26 AM By Antionette Kerr More Content Now Posted Mar. 6, 2015 at 8:25 AM Updated Mar 6, 2015 at 8:26 AM » Social News Moving tributes to the lifelong voyage of director, poet and famous “Star Trek” actor Leonard Simon Nimoy are flooding our newsfeeds. His persona, Spock, reminds me of why I became a Trekkie long before being “geeky” was cool. Through its diverse cast and illusions, “Star Trek” tackled societal issues of the 1960s and beyond. Nimoy and fellow actors were able to “boldly go where no man has gone before.” Even in childhood, I recognized this series was about more than going to outer space. I secretly developed a love of “Star Trek” because of my older cousin, Anthony. He didn’t care about being called a “nerd” and seized the family television to watch reruns of the show. I pretended to interrupt Tony while he was watching. I knew he wouldn’t budge, and used it as an excuse to watch the future unfold. There was something captivating about the multiculturalism of the final frontier. I was particularly drawn to Spock’s shipmate portrayed by Nichelle Nichols’ role as Communications Officer Lt. Nyota Uhura, a Bantu human commander from the United States of Africa. The name Uhura was derived from the word for “freedom” in her native language of Swahili. Nichols became one of my favorite actresses in television history. I couldn’t find young women willing to admit to watching the science-fiction series, so I used the few times that I dressed up like Uhura (mostly on Halloween) as opportunities for Trekkie recruitment. In her autobiography, “Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories,” Nichols confessed that she had originally planned to leave the show in 1967. She changed her mind after meeting Martin Luther King Jr. who encouraged her to reconsider. King was a fan, and “Star Trek” was one of the only TV shows Coretta King would allow their young children to watch. “You are our image of where we’re going, you’re 300 years from now and that means that’s where we are and it takes place now,” King explained. “Keep doing what you’re doing; you are our inspiration.” After finally “coming out” as a Trekkie, I enjoyed hearing inspirational stories about why people connected with the diverse characters in the cast. As an official fan club member I’ve done my share of networking, and it’s apparent Spock (not Uhura) has the most dedicated followers. The lone alien of the series was my cousin’s favorite shipmate. One of my final dinners with my cousin included a lengthy, analytical discussion about the controversial interracial kiss that first aired in 1968 between Lt. Uhura and Capt. James T. Kirk. I had just discovered the historical scene in the episode of “Plato’s Stepchildren” was to originally have Uhura kissing Spock. Producers thought that the interracial kiss between a woman of African decent and an alien would “make it less of a problem for the southern audience.” William Shatner (who played Kirk) stole the scene. Of course, my cousin already knew this obscure detail. I could never seem to stump him on Spock related trivia. Tony and I both relished in the fact Spock’s popularity came from the complicated struggle of the “otherness” of being half-Vulcan, half-human. The struggle was used to examine the depth of humanity. During tributes last week, I learned that much of the actor’s own life was an inspiration for the beloved alien. Nimoy was born in Boston, but his parents came from a village in what is now the Ukraine. English was his first language, and he spoke Yiddish with his Jewish family. It seems that his feelings of being torn between cultures and languages had a significant influence in the series. Nimoy occasionally described having a “mystical identification” with playing the only alien on the Starship Enterprise. In cultures far and away, he reflected his commitment to his real life identity. For example, Spock’s words “live long and prosper” were often accompanied by a raised hand with split fingers known as the Vulcan salute. Nimoy incorporated the idea from a Yiddish blessing/benediction. “I had no idea what was going on, but the sound of it and the look of it was magical.” When the (“Star Trek”) script called for Spock to go home to the Vulcan community, Nimoy said he thought back to that magical moment. “It was the first time we’d seen other Vulcans, other people of my race, so I was hoping to find something touching that could help develop the Vulcan sociology.” His Vulcan greeting is one of the most widely recognized gestures across generations. Geeks and non-geeks, Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike offer it up as a symbol of peace and blessing. Last week, NASA Astronaut Terry W. Virts took a picture of the Vulcan salute from outer space with Nimoy’s hometown of Boston visible from the International Space Station window. I can’t think of a more fitting salute to the legacy of Spock and the “Star Trek” mission: “To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.” Nimoy has passed, but through “Star Trek,” his legacy of accepting otherness continues. Antionette Kerr is a freelance journalist and author of “Just Sayin’: Conversations My Mother Would Never Let Me Have at a Southern Dinner Table.” You may email her at [email protected]. By Antionette Kerr More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Antionette Kerr More Content Now Posted Mar. 6, 2015 at 8:25 AM Updated Mar 6, 2015 at 8:26 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. 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