Be non-violent -- or I'll kill you.

I find Klaatu and his robots to be tyrannical. He claims to be so much more advanced than us, yet he is using the exact same reasoning. A misguided poster made the argument that if you were peaceful but your neighbor was violent that you'd do something about it. He made this sound very reasonable, and he meant it to be in support of Klaatu. Yet that argument goes both ways.

Humans come into violent conflict because they are thinking beings. They kill for their ideas, for their needs, and for the needs of their children. Do Palestinians and Israelis kill each other over religion? No, they don't, they kill each other because each feels they need the land they have or once had. They want that land not for them as much as they do for the offspring that will one day inherit it.

Why can't they just share it together? People are different. The idea that everyone can get along without any strife, without any mistrust, is childish. It is the kind of thing that you learn in grade school, but many people grow out of it. They mature and they think about why people are what they are.

Some things are worth killing for. Those things being life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Everything can be used for the wrong purposes. You could kill someone for the freedom to rape, for the right to a fascist government, or you could kill to fill your wallet.

Conversely, you could kill the man attempting to rape your daughter, you could kill or the fascist here to silence you for speaking out, and you could kill the thief attempting to rob you of your livelihood. This is something Klaatu doesn't understand, nor do his supporters. They for the most part who live safer lives than most, this enables them to not only preach but also practice perfect peace. Not everyone is that fortunate, some people have no choice but to live in places where people who wish to do them harm are a constant threat. Would you rob them of their right to defend themselves? Yes, you would. You've already proven that. There are powerful lobbies eager to prosecute home owners for defending what belongs to them, eager to scold a woman for inviting rape by dressing proactively, and eager to steal from the public the ability to protect themselves from an ever growing government.

Arrogance is the only word for it. You ask me to give up everything for you, all self-determination. You think that you know better than I how I should safeguard myself, you insist that you are more dedicated to the preservation of my life and wellbeing than I am. I just wish that you and people like you could understand that trust is not unconditional, it must be earned first. I would never trust Klaatu or his people and the fact that he has no tolerance for my mistrust indicates to me that he cannot be trusted. He is not willing to try and see things from my perspective and has threatened every person who lives, will live, and HAS lived on Earth.

I'd make peace with my fellow man, if only so that united together we advance and eventually bring an end to Klaatu's tryanny.

[deleted]

Klaatu is the alien version of "Billy Jack" Peace through violence. Minus the karate kicks of course.

He didn't say "At the first sign of internal violence GORT will step in", and in fact he had already explained himself in more depth. He, like most people, tried to explain himself multiple ways. But ultimately his point was this: Do not bring your warlike attitudes\nukes into space or GORT will come back.

He said outright that he doesn't care what we do on our own planet, but that should we attempt to start an interplanetary war that the group he represents would be forced to deal with us using GORT.

Prof. Farnsworth: Oh. A lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!