4. Racism
From the first interracial kiss between Kirk and Uhura, Star Trek has never been afraid to address the subject or make us feel awkward about our prejudices. Star Trek Deep Space Nine was no different. In a poignant episode, Captain Sisko experiences a vision given to him by The Prophets in which he is transformed into Benny Russell, a African American, sci-fi writer in the 1950s who had a vision for a story that included a black commander of a space station (hint, hint). The publisher would not accept the story because it was thought the public would not accept a black commander. The storyline dealt with Bennys inability to come to terms with this fact, the fact that he could not dream in color. In the end Sisko is reminded that he is the dream as well as the dreamer.