Not everyone grew up with strict parents, but those who did will understand the occasional disagreement that would rise up in the household. Whether you or your parents were the right ones, it seemed futile to even continue arguing. It often resulted in resentment that would only be resolved when you were told to go eat.

To be able to understand the amount of diligence that immigrant parents have to go through in order for their children to succeed is a difficult task. As a young teenager, George Takei wasn’t really able to perceive the true magnitude of his situation. His judgment was clouded by the feelings of childhood and adventure that he had developed during his time at the internment camps. On the other hand, adults were forced to endure the burden of being recognized as “aliens” and whatever they tried to do would never turn out in their favor. Like many others, George’s dad had to conform to these anti-Japanese laws so that their dignity would not be lost. 

The sacrifices that were made, the tears that were wept, the sweat that was poured; there is only so much that a parent could do for their children and sometimes, the choice that they thought was best may not always be the right one. Tracing back to an example of a parent’s battle against the denial of public education for their children, it reveals that perseverance and hard work are necessary for change to occur. Fighting for what they deserved might sound a little cliché but it’s become clear that they would not hesitate to give you their all. 

This all leads me to believe that, regardless of their ways of discipline, they deserve so much more respect. Through time, I personally hope to appreciate their decisions that have turned me into who I am today and make sure that their efforts aren’t in vain.