In recent years, the amount of hate crimes towards Asian Americans has seen a disturbing increase. These attacks can range from verbal assaults or physical violence. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started, people started to grow racist and xenophobic behavior towards people of Asian descent. This is not the first time that Asian American citizens faced discriminatory actions against them. And in recent years it has gotten worse. I’ve noticed that there is need to advocate and speak up about Asian American hate, and put an end to this once in for all.

In the graphic novel, They Called Us Enemy, George Takei takes us through his experiences as a Japanese American citizen living in a war-paranoid America. He and his family were living a peaceful life when suddenly they were dragged out of their homes and relocated to internment camps all across America. Having to leave behind a life that they spent so many years building together as a family. Approximately 2 thousand Japanese Americans died in the internment camps. Hundreds of thousands of innocent Japanese Americans were convicted solely due to their heritage. There was no living proof that any of these internees committed any crimes that threatened the sovereignty of the state. The experiences that Takei went through encouraged him to become an activist for social justice and human rights. This novel’s goal is to raise awareness of the unjust and inhumane crimes committed against Japanese Americans during World War II. Ultimately trying to prevent history from repeating itself in the future.

As I was researching this topic, I stumbled upon a Ted Talk by George Takei himself. In this Ted Talk, he explains his love for the United States even though he was put into an internment camp alongside his family. “He [George Takei’s Father] was the one that suffered the most under those conditions of imprisonment, and yet he understood American democracy. He told me that our democracy is a people’s democracy, and it can be as great as the people can be.” His father was an extremely influential figure in his life and led him to improve American democracy. This video doesn’t only apply to people of AAPI heritage, students from different heritages can also greatly benefit from listening to his Ted Talk and reading his graphic novel. He stresses the importance of a proper balance between national security and personal liberty.