“I’ve Lived Transition”: George Takei Shares Story of Injustice and Hope

On the evening of Tuesday, January 28th, Bucknell students and the surrounding community gathered together for a Bucknell Forum event at the Weis Center to listen to renowned American actor and writer George Takei share his moving story of struggle and resilience during one of America’s darkest chapters. The Star Trek actor and social justice activist spoke about his childhood experiences in the Japanese internment camps, where the United States incarcerated over 120,000 Japanese Americans following the Pearl Harbor attack during World War II. 

This event came as a part of Bucknell’s MLK week, as well as part of the Bucknell Forum’s 2024-25 theme, “World in Transition,” which Takei found to be quite powerful as he himself has lived through the many transitions of the United States and the world over the years. “I’ve lived transition,” said Takei, “I’ve been called an icon and a legend, but also a jap, and the enemy.” He noted how he, his family, and hundreds of other Japanese American citizens were imprisoned solely for “looking like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor.” The packed auditorium sat in somber silence as Takei, now 87 years old, recounted his family’s forced removal from their home when he was only five years old. They first had to sleep in horse stalls at the Santa Anita Racetrack, before being relocated to the Rohwer camp in Arkansas, and eventually ending up at the Tule Lake camp for “non-loyals” in Northern California. 

One of the most poignant moments came when Takei described the daily routine at the internment camp school that the children attended. “Every day we put our hands on our hearts and recited ‘with liberty and justice for all’ while I looked out the window at the barbed wire and soldiers keeping us there,” Takei recalled, “I was too young to understand the irony.” This moved many in the audience, as they absorbed the weight of this image: American children pledging allegiance to a country that had imprisoned them solely because of their ancestry. The moment shows the stark contradiction between America’s stated ideals and its treatment of its own citizens. 

Takei finished his talk by emphasizing that this is an American story, and that it is so important for Americans to know our history, so that we do not repeat it again. “But we are repeating it again,” he said, drawing parallels to the discriminatory practices that are still alive in American society today. As the United States continues to grapple with issues of discrimination, xenophobia, and social justice, Takei’s message of resilience and the importance of standing up against injustice resonated deeply with the audience. One Bucknell student in the audience, Lauren Nee, class of 2025, said, “After the forum, I think that the Americans should learn about the importance of justice and equality to help prevent racial discrimination and grave injustices. We should work to grow as a society that protects the rights of all citizens and grants freedom.” 

The evening concluded with a Q&A session where students were able to engage with Takei and ask him further questions about his life experiences. One student, Miguel Camacho, class of 2025, was particularly interested in how Takei’s experiences shaped his roles as an actor. Takei explained that he often chooses his roles based on the life experience he can bring to that story, and that Star Trek in particular was a strong parallel to the human condition. Camacho said that he loved being able to “really see how much his life experiences shaped [Takei] into the actor he became. It gave me a lot of perspective.” 

Despite the hardships he endured, Takei’s message was ultimately one of hope and resilience. He urged the audience to learn from the past and actively work towards a more just and equitable future. In the words of Star Trek, “Live Long and Prosper.”

Lauren Nee lmn007@bucknell.edu 203-707-8693

Miguel Camacho mc088@bucknell.edu 305-916-9798