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My father told me about American democracy. And he said you have to be actively engaged in the political process to make our democracy work. So I've been doing that my entire life. Civil rights movement. The peace movement during the Vietnam conflict. The movement to get an apology and redress for Japanese-Americans.
George Takei
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Active participation in democracy is essential for its success.

This quote by George Takei emphasizes the importance of being actively involved in the political process to ensure that democracy functions effectively. Takei draws from his personal experiences in various social movements, highlighting that engagement in civic duties is not just a right but a responsibility that shapes the society we live in.

Themes

DemocracyEngagementPoliticsActivismCivil Rights

In practice

Example use cases

During a speech at a political rally to encourage civic participation.

More from George Takei

I remembered some people who lived across the street from our home as we were being taken away. When I was a teenager, I had many after-dinner conversations with my father about our internment. He told me that after we were taken away, they came to our house and took everything. We were literally stripped clean.
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Back in the day, coming out was something very personal. You began by acknowledging the truth, first to yourself, then to close family and friends. Those of us more in the public spotlight, though, also had to 'come out' to the press.
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In many ways, my decision to come out changed the course not only of my personal life but of my professional one as well.
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The best way to get people to connect with an issue is to humanize it. You can do so much more powerfully with music and touch the heart.
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