Star Trek's George Takei speaks on democracy and human rights at U.S. Air Force National Character and Leadership Symposium
Actor and human rights activist George Takei speaks to cadets during the kick off event for the U.S. Air Force Academy’s National Character and Leadership Symposium, Feb. 23, 2022. Takei, a member of the original Star Trek television series cast, encouraged cadets to uphold a culture of dignity and respect for all. (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)
MARCH 8, 2022 - Hikaru Sulu, you likely remember, was a trained pilot, a starship navigator, and the captain of the USS Excelsior. So, when the United States Air Force Academy needed a speaker for its annual National Character and Leadership Symposium, perhaps it only made sense to invite the man who embodied Captain Sulu, George Takei.
Given Takei’s activism on behalf of Japanese Americans and the LGBTQ+ community, perhaps it also made sense for him to speak to this year’s theme, “Ethics and Respect for Human Dignity,” which he did back on February 23, according to USAFA Public Affairs.
Takei kicked off the event and came right to the point, speaking to cadets “about the ‘insidious’ nature of racism and militarism, and [saying] true democracy is impossible without promoting human rights.” Takei has long been an advocate for human rights, being a gay man and having been imprisoned with his family in two different internment camps, in Arkansas and Northern California, during World War II.
The latter experience is the subject of his graphic novel, They Called Us Enemy, which has been part of reading programs at the USAFA and is required reading for freshmen. The Academy also has the Spectrum Club, a “support network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, questioning cadets and their allies,” with whom Takei had dinner during his visit.
Takei noted during his address that the country must come to terms with its past mistakes if it hopes to achieve respect for human dignity, and he said, “progress comes in little bursts.”
For more on George Takei’s address, head over to the United States Air Force Academy.
David is a contributing writer for Daily Star Trek News on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. He is a librarian, baseball fan, and book and movie buff. He has also written for American Libraries and Skeptical Inquirer. David also enjoys diverse music, but leans toward classical and jazz. He plays a mean radio.
