I’ve been an activist since my late teens. I take this very seriously and try to use the gift that’s been given to me – access to the media – as positively as I can. – George Takei
Our democracy is dependent on people who passionately cherish the ideals of a democracy. Every man is created equal with an inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s a wonderful idea, and it takes people who cherish that idea to be actively involved in the process. – George Takei
‘Star Trek’ fans totally accepted my sexual orientation. There are a great number of LGBT people across ‘Star Trek’ fandom. The show always appealed to people that were different – the geeks and the nerds, and the people who felt they were not quite a part of society, sometimes because they may have been gay or lesbian. – George Takei
I’m optimistic, and I have a lot of goals. And I obey the laws of nature: I eat, exercise, and rest properly. But mostly it’s about keeping the mind engaged. My grandmother lived to 104, and she had all of her faculties. I’m physically active and devout – just not as Buddhistic as she was. – George Takei
I was pursuing my acting career, but I was silent on the LGBT issue, the issue that was closest to me. I knew if I came out then, I’d have had to change careers. – George Takei
I was doing a civil rights musical here in Los Angeles, and we sang at one of the rallies where Dr. Martin Luther King spoke, and I remember the thrill I felt when we were introduced to him. To have him shake your hand was an absolutely unforgettable experience. – George Takei
When Pearl Harbor was bombed, young Japanese-Americans, like all young Americans, rushed to their draft board to volunteer to fight for our country. That act of patriotism was answered with a slap in the face. We were denied service and categorized as enemy non-alien. – George Takei
I have two passions in my life. One is to raise the awareness of the internment of Japanese-American citizens. My other passion is the theater. And I’ve been able to wed the two passions. – George Takei
But when we came out of camp, that’s when I first realized that being in camp, that being Japanese-American, was something shameful. – George Takei
I love people. When you’re engaged with society and trying to make it a better society, you’re an optimist. – George Takei
As you know, when Star Trek was canceled after the second season, it was the activism of the fans that revived it for a third season. – George Takei
Happily, the days when overt racial discrimination and segregation were championed by social conservatives are long past. – George Takei
I marched back then – I was in a civil-rights musical, Fly Blackbird, and we met Martin Luther King. – George Takei
In the United States, we have a large, broad middle that are decent, fair-minded people who are too busy to really think about issues other than their next paycheck. Those are the people that we want to get to in order to change the social climate. And Howard Stern has that audience. So I said, ‘Let’s boldly go where I’ve never been before.’ – George Takei
I was blessed with my career. I passionately love acting. And it’s given me a good livelihood. – George Takei
Even before I could vote, I was involved in the political arena. My father was an admirer of Adlai Stevenson, and he took me to the Stevenson for President headquarters, and he volunteered me. That was my introduction to electoral politics, which was exciting and fun and thrilling and very theatrical. – George Takei
I think Donald Trump’s interpretation of marriage is something that he himself doesn’t really believe in. ‘Traditional marriage’ is where two people love each other, commit to each other, care for each other over the years. It is a meaningful ceremony, and his interpretation of that is not recognizing what real marriage is. – George Takei
I’d like to think that, when I explain it, that Mr. Trump will understand marriage is defined by two people who love each other, commit to each other, and will care for each other through thick and thin. – George Takei
Every time we had a hot war going on in Asia, it was difficult for Asian Americans here. – George Takei
This is supposed to be a participatory democracy and if we’re not in there participating then the people that will manipulate and exploit the system will step in there. – George Takei