We think it can’t happen here. We think “we are better than that”—and yet, here we are.
Former Star Trek legendary actor and liberal activist George Takei knows what it’s like to be singled out, vilified, dehumanized, feared and hated becuase of his ancestral country of origin. On Friday, he tweeted a warning to Americans—with a hash dose of reality.
“If you think authoritarianism cannot happen here in America, I lived through a time when it already did: to 120,000 Japanese Americans, most of us citizens. It starts by dehumanizing a group, then spreads through fear, ignorance and hate. Recognize the patterns. Remember history.” -George Takei
Here is the original tweet:
For a glimpse into what happened during the Japanese-American Internment, here is a short 3-minute clip from History.com. (Transcript in process)
It can happen—because it did happen.