who feel for all mankind

Terra Firma is an Alliance political party formed after the First Contact War. Its policy agenda is based on the principle that Earth must 'stand firm' against alien influences. This covers a variety of legislation. Recent activities by Terra Firma include opposition to a law requiring high school alien language study, a proposal to increase tariffs on alien imports, and leading a popular movement to mark the First Contact War with a public holiday.

The computer had a bunch of strange components, but it still POSTed so I assumed everything worked.

That would be something not unworth boasting about--that he, a sort of eighteenth-century David, should slay this modern Goliath.