The Starfleet personnel on DS9 treats each other and everyone else with respect. They're not perfect; there is Sisko's initial disdain towards Jake making friends with Nog, who he thinks is a hopelessly bad influence, and even that turns into an uplifting story when he realizes Jake is teaching Nog how to read and write, and eventually
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sponsors Nog's application to Starfleet Academy.


Even Quark and Odo, who profess to hate each other's guts, clearly appreciate each other as worthy adversaries. Everyone frequents Quark's bar. It's a place where Starfleet personnel mingle with Bajorans and everyone else. In some episodes he acts as an antagonist, but if you look at the whole picture he's just as valuable a member of the crew as everyone else.

The Federation at its best is inclusive; it fosters cooperation, understanding, open-mindedness. DS9 is full of examples of that. It also has
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Section 31, Red Squad and other actors working to subvert or betray Federation values from within
, which was maybe a misstep.