U.N.’s Mokhiber: “We Are All Cylons”

By Akela Talamasca on March 18th, 2009

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This past Tuesday saw a convening of the United Nation’s Creative Community Outreach Initiative, which purports to involve non-political groups in its peacekeeping efforts. On hand to participate in the event were the cast and crew of The Sci-Fi Channel — oh, excuse me, Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica.

While at first blush this may seem like a joke, upon closer examination there is actually quite a bit the show can offer to a debate about human rights and community building. With its depiction of humanoid-seeming Cylons waging war against their organic human creators, the prgram has always tried to make cloudy the distinction between good and evil, oppressed and oppressor.

Craig Mokhiber, Deputy to the Director of the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees, said “We are all Cylons, every one of us is a Cylon, every one of us is a colonial. And you have to get rid of the idea of good guys and bad guys, because the truth is today I may be victimized and tomorrow I may be a victimizer.” Actor Edward James Olmos, who plays the role of Commander William Adama on Galactica, added “There’s only one race, and that is the human race, period.”

Whether or not this meeting actually accomplishes anything lasting remains to be seen, but it shows a welcome good faith effort on the part of the UN to even consider letting non-political figures in to discuss issues that affect all human beings, regardless of affiliation.