Rep. Earl Jones's bill to provide funding for a technology research center on N.C. A&T State University's campus was a YouTube parody waiting to happen.
Fortunately for all of us, the conservative-leaning Civitas Institute accepted the challenge with a parody video.
Jones' bill would establish "The Star Fleet Academy Complex" on campus. Yes, THAT Star Fleet.
Jones, who co-sponsored the bill in May, said the campus approached him about the idea of creating a world-class technology research center that carried a recognizable brand name.
"Scientists and engineers and people like that, they're pretty straight-laced," Jones said. "It's something that brings attention to the center."
More after the jump.
—————
Jones' bill would appropriate $1.7 million to launch the center. Jones said he is realistic that in the current recession his bill is a longshot. And it has been stuck in appropriations for a while. But he said bills like this one take time.
The video plays like a commercial for the Star Fleet Academy, which seems to be set in a parallel universe where the students at the historically black campus are all white. The "ad" features testimonials from a Dr. Leonard McCoy and a certain guy named Khan.
Jones hasn't seen the video. He said he's a Star Trek fan and doesn't mind the parody.
"In politics there's no such thing as bad publicity," Jones said. "Whatever they put out is getting attention for that project."
