BSG at the UN - SO SAY WE ALL!

io9 - BSG's United Nations Summit: The Night Battlestar Galactica Took Over The U.N.


The end of days is nigh. Tonight is the final episode of the final season of Battlestar Galactica.

*sigh*

Tuesday night at an event that raised the bar for awesometoast, BSG stars Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, along with series creators Ronald D. Moore and David Eick appeared at a panel discussion at the UN - that's right. The UNITED FRAKKING NATIONS. They were there to discuss the intersection of themes from the show - human rights, reproductive rights, terrorism - and events in the real world.

And apparently, this happened:

At one point the discussion lit a fire under the Admiral, and the talk of human rights turned personal for Edward James Olmos. The "Old Man" launched into a passionate speech about casting off the idea of race as a cultural determinant, and said we were one race, the human race. His voice echoed throughout the chamber growing louder until - I kid you not - he was yelling, "So Say We All," and the crowd answered right back. Hell, even I yelled it, I was in the fraking United Nations with Adama, the gods themselves could not have stopped this moment. It was surreal - the entire audience turned into one massive optimistic/role-playing/saddened goosebump, because who knows when we'll ever hear those words again? And then we were doubly geeked out when, as if on cue, Mary McDonnell turned to Olmos and put her hand on his cheek. But the real chills came from realizing that this treasured television show had actually opened up the lines of communication between the audience and the United Nations. BSG has made people think about the troubling deeds happening in darkened rooms in the present day, not just on a spaceship in the future.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Planning, Robert Orr, admitted that he hasn't talked about terrorism or nuclear armageddon in a social situation since 1982 (although he talks about those issues daily at work). "We don't like to confront these issues in our lives, but they are real," said Orr. "If a show can get us thinking about it and talking about it, then Amen, because it isn't easy." Ahem, I think you meant, "Thank the gods." But he's got a point, and I don't think there is another show on television that could recreate last night at the United Nations, by addressing current issues in such a manner.

What am I going to do without you BSG?