The 14 Dumbest Things In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

CHANG (voice): 'I am as constant as the Northern Star.'

McCOY: I'd give real money if he'd shut up.

You and me both, Bones.

What McCoy really should be questioning is just how Chang’s voice is getting on the Enterprise’s ship-wide public address system (known as the 1 Master Circuit or 1MC in the US Navy) in the first place, and in the second place, why can’t Uhura shut it off?

Any comm system open enough for an outside force to broadcast through to your crew is a serious flaw and breach of ship’s safety. If they can force signals into your comm system, they could flood it with noise to interfere with valid orders being given, issue false commands to your crew, or at the very least broadcast demoralizing enemy propaganda direct to them. Worse, they might drive the crew crazy singing "I'll take you home again Kathleen" or by spouting endless Shakespeare.

That Chang can do this, and that Uhura can’t just silence his Shakespeare-spouting piehole, is dumb.

By the way, in the earlier trial scene, Chang says:

CHANG: What would your favorite author say, Captain? “Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings.” Tell us your sad story, Kirk.

Nothing in the film suggests the Bard is Kirk's favorite author. We suspect Chang meant quotation-loving director Nicholas Meyer here.