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Secret Files Reveal UK Police Feared That Trekkies Could Turn On Society

Posted by samzenpus on from the live-long-and-riot dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Scotland Yard was worried that fans of shows like the X Files and Star Trek might run amok during the Millennium according to secret files. The file, called UFO New Religious Movements (NRMs) And The Millennium, reveals that anti-terrorism experts were also concerned about the brain-washing effect of Dark Skies, Roswell, Millennium and The Lawnmower Man on viewers. According to the Telegraph: "The secret briefing note was obtained from the Met under the Freedom of Information Act by Sheffield-based British X-Files expert Dr Dave Clarke while researching a new book, How UFOs Conquered the World. Dr Clarke, who teaches investigative journalism at Sheffield Hallam University, said: 'The documents show the police and security services were concerned about the export of some new religious movements concerning UFOs and aliens from the USA in the aftermath of the mass suicide by followers of the Heaven's Gate.'"

28 of 214 comments (clear)

  1. Seems obvious now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sure, it seems obvious now, but I'm kind of glad we have people looking at these ridiculous scenarios and planning how to deal with them *just in case*. It's difficult to predict the unknown so might as well be prepared for it even if it's unlikely.

    1. Re:Seems obvious now by gl4ss · · Score: 2, Interesting

      well, they were just concerned that people are really, really, really stupid.

      which is fair. I mean, look at youtube now. full of newage idiots babbling about how we're moving to a new age and all that stuff. luckily the people who believe in that kind of crap and conspiracy theories about the government suppressing information about crystals usually just stick to their homes(and to scamming money out of other idiots, seriously, look at any youtube channel about newage/conspiracy stuff. if they have more than 2 hours of content they want to sell you something, even if they're babbling about the end of the monetary system).

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    2. Re:Seems obvious now by Etherwalk · · Score: 4, Insightful

      well, they were just concerned that people are really, really, really stupid.

      which is fair. I mean, look at youtube now. full of newage idiots babbling about how we're moving to a new age and all that stuff. luckily the people who believe in that kind of crap and conspiracy theories about the government suppressing information about crystals usually just stick to their homes(and to scamming money out of other idiots, seriously, look at any youtube channel about newage/conspiracy stuff. if they have more than 2 hours of content they want to sell you something, even if they're babbling about the end of the monetary system).

      This. It seems really stupid to think that these shows will lead someone down those roads--notably, if these shows will, so will almost anything. But sometimes people are really, really stupid. See, e.g.: anti-vaxxer movement. There probably actually *should* be a government conspiracy to silent the anti-vaxxer movement because it presents a serious threat to public health.

      We could call the conspiracy the "NIH" and ask it to do "peer-reviewed research." :)

      But a good propaganda machine designed to promote research over stupid ideas that threaten public safety, scary as it is, might actually be called for on occasion... be a bit transparent about it, but still.

    3. Re:Seems obvious now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      I agree, I am glad the police are looking into trekkies, those people are strange and different and who knows what they are capable of! The police should investigate minority group and subculture, it's the only way to ensure our freedom. There are some very dangerous groups out there. Have you ever heard of slashot? They're like trekkies but with black hat hacker skills.. cyber criminals more dangerous than anything the police could have imagined in 1999. I hope the police investigate and round up the lot of them, better safe than sorry.

    4. Re:Seems obvious now by Rei · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Can you imagine the dystopian dictatorship where trekkies come to power? All of the halls of power full of people walking around in spandex and fake ears and brow ridges, the fed directed to work toward the absolution of currency, the military directed to accelerate development of phasers and for all recruits to undergo "Kobayashi Maru" training.... NASA would finally get their proposed $18,5 billion dollar annual budget passed - except that the bill would have the word "annual" crossed out and the word "monthly" written in its place. National anti-bullying legislation would be passed, probably with a name like Spock's Law. And of course they'd insist on referring to the UN as the United Federation of Planets.

      --
      POTUS Witch Hunt tracker: 75 charges filed against 19 witches, 4 witches cooperating and 5 witches have pled guilty.
    5. Re:Seems obvious now by Dunbal · · Score: 2

      You should see how high on the list anonymous Slashdot posters are. You're being watched, terrorist.

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    6. Re:Seems obvious now by antiperimetaparalogo · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes, you posted before me but they are my thoughts too.

      That's because THEY transmit the "thoughts" to people's brains... think about it!

      --
      Antisthenes: "Wisdom begins by examining the words/names." - excuse my English, i am (slightly...) better with my Greek!
    7. Re:Seems obvious now by MitchDev · · Score: 2

      What's the difference between a trekker and a trekkie?

      A trekker is a Star Trek fan.

      A trekkie is an idiot that insists you call them a trekker.

    8. Re:Seems obvious now by antiperimetaparalogo · · Score: 2

      Yes, you posted before me but they are my thoughts too.

      That's because THEY transmit the "thoughts" to people's brains... think about it!

      I tried thinking about it but the transmissions wouldn't let me.

      My God... you are old enough Slashdoter, do i have to treat you like a baby? Anyway: wear you tin foil hat first...

      --
      Antisthenes: "Wisdom begins by examining the words/names." - excuse my English, i am (slightly...) better with my Greek!
    9. Re:Seems obvious now by mrxak · · Score: 2

      I was just trying to make a joke about how California sucks, but sure, let's nerd fight.

      Starfleet Headquarters is in San Francisco
      The Federation Council is in San Francisco
      President of the United Federation of Planets is in Paris, but everyone knows the Federation Council has all the real power and it's been suggested the Federation is a parliamentary type system with the Council electing the President
      France is also coastal, and to the west of the bulk of the continent on which it resides, thus west coast.
      We don't know where the Federation Supreme Court is, but probably someplace on a west coast.

      I maintain that if Trekkies took over the world, they would put their capital on a west coast.

      --
      -mrxak
      Onions Will Kill You
    10. Re:Seems obvious now by Minwee · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah, I read TFS as a big giant "holy cow are police forces actually this damned stupid?"

      How can these idiots take themselves seriously when they have such monumentally idiotic ideas? And why should they expect us to take them seriously?

      You're talking about someone who managed to make it his paid, full-time job to write X-File fanfic and hang out at Star Trek conventions, most likely putting everything on a government expense account. The word you're looking for isn't "stupid", it's "brilliant".

  2. Trekkies Could Turn On Society by bug1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    With those uniforms ?

  3. anti-terorism experts or idiots by crbowman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The article labels them "anti-terrorism experts" but the mere fact that they even considered this long enough for there to have been a written record belies that title and proves instead that they are "anti-terrorism idiots".

  4. Not to worry ... by Forever+Wondering · · Score: 4, Funny

    Trekkies always keep their phasers set to stun ...

    --
    Like a good neighbor, fsck is there ...
  5. Trekkie Hooligans, Unite! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wanna keep us off the streets? Stop canceling our goddam sci-fi shows!

  6. Reasonable by symes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The dossier – called UFO New Religious Movements and the Millennium – was drawn up in response to the 1997 mass suicide by 39 cultists in San Diego known as Heaven's Gate.

    Given that cults with a somewhat "sci-fi" approach to their idiocy exist it seems fair game to, at the very least, think through possible scenarios and plan accordingly. This is surely good disaster planning, certainly logical. What has happened here, it seems, is that someone has suggested regular "trekkies" are the real risk to garner attention and to sell someone's book.

  7. Question Everything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Do I believe in UFOs and little green men? No, but shows like Dark Skies and The X Files taught me to question everything, especially information provided by those in power. That's what made shows like that useful. Now with Snowden et al we find that governments have been lying to us for years.

  8. well, they DID. we just don't remember. by turkeydance · · Score: 3, Informative

    that Men in Black flashy thing.

  9. There are quite a few haters on this thread but... by Afty0r · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Protecting people from evil cults (even if they got the specifics of meme transmission a bit off by choosing "X-Files" and similar) is definitely something I would like my government to do. You need to research the cults, methods etc. to do that.

    Further, if this was in existence a few decades ago, perhaps we would have nipped Scientology in the bud before it landed in the UK.

  10. Re:Its funny by Crashmarik · · Score: 2

    http://video.foxnews.com/v/403...

    There you go. Now please reiterate your message about how people know nothing about it and that it promotes peace.

    BTW Sorry about having to use a link from fox news, I know some people can't deal with the fact it exists but they were the only network willing to broadcast this. You might wish to consider what that implies about agenda in the media.

  11. ... but are they?? by Taco+Cowboy · · Score: 2

    ... but I'm kind of glad we have people looking at these ridiculous scenarios and planning how to deal with them *just in case* ...

    Those motherfucking assholes are the real life version of the keystone kops --- They always do the wrong thing

    Had the assholes really know their stuffs that British soldier Lee Rigby would still be alive today

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...

    And the London tube wouldn't have been bombed

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7...

    --
    Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
    1. Re:... but are they?? by tehcyder · · Score: 2

      I love how on slashdot the surveillance society is pure fascist evil, until the surveillance isn't quite good enough and something bad happens, then it's the government's fault for not doing the surveillance right and stopping the terrorists.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  12. Re:Its funny by antiperimetaparalogo · · Score: 2

    With every one of your anti-Islam posts you are just showing the world how small-minded, ignorant and scared you are, just like the fanatics you probably intend to rail against (but due to your ignorance you get them confused with people who identify with the same religion, but who are not fanatical). You have more in common with the fanatics than you think.

    I am not the one who wrote the comment you replied to, but i agree with him (actually, in the one month i am a "Slashdoter", i have made some anti-Muslim/Islam posts myself - not very "popular", like the parent's that has modded down) - i don't know about the other guy, but i know about Muslims (i grow up with them, still live close to them), i read the Quran and the Hadiths, plus i am Greek (and Christian by the way, and as a "disclaimer"), so i may have the extra "historic privilege" to know few things more about the issue.

    I don't think that i am "small-minded, ignorant", but yes i am "scared" (of Muslims) - as for this "You have more in common with the fanatics than you think", i must disagree: i (as a Christian - even "fanatic", or just a non-Muslim, like an "Atheist" is for example) don't believe what Muslims believe... and you better believe ME when i write to you that "i am scared of Muslims" (ALL MUSLIMS - i don't like ALL "Atheists", but i am not scared of them... most of them at least...)

    What is your knowledge/experiance of Islam/Muslims Sir?

    --
    Antisthenes: "Wisdom begins by examining the words/names." - excuse my English, i am (slightly...) better with my Greek!
  13. Journalism 101 by itsdapead · · Score: 4, Informative

    The headline:

    Scotland Yard was worried that fans of shows like the X Files and Star Trek might run amok during the Millennium according to secret files.

    The actual story:

    'The documents show the police and security services were concerned about the export of some new religious movements concerning UFOs and aliens from the USA in the aftermath of the mass suicide by followers of the Heaven's Gate.'"

    Slight difference...

    Anyway, was this going to be the Star Trek Wars or the Star Wars Trek?

    --
    In a survey of 100 programmers, 111111 thought that duck-typing was a good idea.
  14. Re:2000 was harmless by Andy_R · · Score: 2

    Never mind 2038, it's 2048 when the Y2K bug hits us that we'll really be in trouble.

    --
    A pizza of radius z and thickness a has a volume of pi z z a
  15. Re:Well, no wonder Dr. Who is so big over there... by itsdapead · · Score: 2

    Except that, even if you don't care for the pantomime style, Doctor Who often rips the shit out of politicians, the military and religion. Plus, there are other British shows like Utopia, Black Mirror, Life on Mars/Ashes To Ashes and Orphan Black (OK - the latter is a US/BBC co-production) that 'do' conspiracies and social comment in ways that the traditional US TV networks wouldn't touch with a bargepole (looking forward to "Humans" although I understand that's a remake of a Scandinavian show). US viewers might not have seen them because they don't have 500 episodes and (with the exception of Who) tend to finish when the material is tapped out.

    The US output has got vastly better in the last 20 years, but in the past they really couldn't touch the sort of dark, anti-establishment or morally ambiguous content of British shows like Quatermas, Blake's 7, Doomwatch (X-files without the aliens), UFO, Edge of Darkness (not the film!) or the non-SF 'House of Cards' (original British version). The sets may have wobbled (only UFO had state-of-the-art effects for the time), they all had good and bad episodes, but the stories didn't pull any punches. Yes, Star Trek had a strong social justice message, but it was mostly morally squeaky-clean and moralistic, with nice happy endings.

    --
    In a survey of 100 programmers, 111111 thought that duck-typing was a good idea.
  16. Re:Its funny by operagost · · Score: 2

    The Qur'an instructs believers to go to war against Jews and Christians.

    The Bible records the history of wars.

    There's a difference between recording a violent history, and instructions to commit violent acts.

    The Qur'an has no order to love your neighbor, to treat others as one would wish to be treated, or to not resist an evil man. The Qur'an's plan for peace is to obtain it by force.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  17. Re:Its funny by dave420 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I've read neither in about 20 years since taking a comparative religion class at school.

    It's the same God in both the OT and the NT. I wonder why, when Christianity's holy book's text is looked at, people leap through hoops to try to break apart the trinity or add all sorts of explanations for the hideous, God-sanctioned behaviour, with the Qu'ran it's apparently a factual guide book and evidence that all Muslims are violent psychopaths. It's all bullshit. Most Christians don't live by the Bible just as most Muslims don't live by the Qu'ran.

    But whatever. This discussion is pointless. Neither book is at all suitable for teaching how to behave to your fellow man.