--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a really unusual, remarkably…" description: "\"I had a really unusual, remarkably unusual father because he, in our family, was the one that suffered the most. He was the one that explained American..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/george-takei-4192_american-democracy_i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusua_2624332.jpg" --- # I had a really unusual, remarkably unusual father because… ![“I had a really unusual, remarkably unusual father because he, in our family, was the one that suffered the most. He was the one that explained American democracy to me. He said, ‘Our democracy is a people’s democracy and it can be as great as people can be, and it can be great… but we are also…” quote by George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/george-takei-4192_american-democracy_i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusua_2624332.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/george-takei-4192_american-democracy_i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusua_2624332.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/george-takei-4192_american-democracy_i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusua_2624332.jpg) > “I had a really unusual, remarkably unusual father because he, in our family, was the one that suffered the most. He was the one that explained American democracy to me. He said, ‘Our democracy is a people’s democracy and it can be as great as people can be, and it can be great… but we are also fallible human beings.’” [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes his father as uniquely vulnerable yet insightful, teaching him that democracy reflects both greatness and human fallibility. **In simple terms:** Father taught democracy's strengths and flaws. Key Takeaway Recognize democracy's potential and limits. Themes family politics education Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - civic education - political discussions - personal reflection Key Concepts democracy human fallibility intergenerational wisdom Questions to Reflect On - How does personal experience shape political views? - What responsibilities arise from recognizing fallibility? A Different Perspective Democracy can be idealized, overlooking systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-democracy/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-people/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family Suffered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-suffered-847788/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-democracy-660269/) [Unusual Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unusual-father-2136697/) ## Related quotes > [Democracy, by its very nature, can't be imposed on people. Democracy has to be the people deciding for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/democracy-by-its-very-nature-can-t-be-imposed-on-people-democracy-has/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [This democracy is not by the people, of the people, for the people. This democracy is about by the party high command, of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvind-kejriwal/this-democracy-is-not-by-the-people-of-the-people-for-the-people-this/) [Arvind Kejriwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvind-kejriwal/) > [The other day, someone told me the difference between a democracy and a people's democracy. It's the same difference between a jacket and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-other-day-someone-told-me-the-difference-between-a-democracy-and/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“As my father once explained to me, our “rights” are only as strong as the democracy that protects them. Because we are a people’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/as-my-father-once-explained-to-me-our-rights-are-only-as-strong-as/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [How hard a thing is life to the lowly and yet how human and real is it? And all this life and love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/how-hard-a-thing-is-life-to-the-lowly-and-yet-how-human-and-real-is/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [When I say my family suffered for my anti-war protesting, one of the many fallouts was having to send my two sons to America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/when-i-say-my-family-suffered-for-my-anti-war-protesting-one-of-the/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [My family suffered very major losses during the Second World War, that's true. In my father's family, there were five brothers. I think four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/my-family-suffered-very-major-losses-during-the-second-world-war-that/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I sometimes wonder if the tragedies my family has suffered are a kind of karmic price for all the fame and fortune the Bee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-gibb/i-sometimes-wonder-if-the-tragedies-my-family-has-suffered-are-a-kind/) [Robin Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-gibb/) > [“Lyly placed her fingers over Patrick’s mouth. “Hush,” she whispered. “It was because of me and my family that you suffered-” Patrick’s arms closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-k-savarese/lyly-placed-her-fingers-over-patrick-s-mouth-hush-she-whispered-it/) [Mary K. Savarese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-k-savarese/) > [If you continue to transfer the wealth of the population of the planet to a very small amount of people, it becomes untenable at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/if-you-continue-to-transfer-the-wealth-of-the-population-of-the/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [You can't afford to hate politics. The politics of this country is democracy. Democracy is by the people, of the people and for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvind-kejriwal/you-can-t-afford-to-hate-politics-the-politics-of-this-country-is/) [Arvind Kejriwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvind-kejriwal/) > [In a democracy, people tend to get the kind of government they deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/in-a-democracy-people-tend-to-get-the-kind-of-government-they-deserve/) [John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/) > [This will be the day when we shall bring into full realization the dream of American democracy -- a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/this-will-be-the-day-when-we-shall-bring-into-full-realization-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [That's what separates out American democracy from dictators and horrible governments across the world and the reason why that works is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-chamberlain/that-s-what-separates-out-american-democracy-from-dictators-and/) [Charles R. Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-chamberlain/) > [ Elvis \[Presley\] had a stepstool, if you will, to success because he came from the dominant culture. They identified with him. Michael Jackson had… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/elvis-presley-had-a-stepstool-if-you-will-to-success-because-he-came/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) ## More by George Takei > [“Sharing is an act of trust, for ridicule is an ever-present risk on the Internet today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/sharing-is-an-act-of-trust-for-ridicule-is-an-ever-present-risk-on/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“If leadership requires a fired-up sense of purpose and imagination, it also demands a profound connection to the society to be led. Like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/if-leadership-requires-a-fired-up-sense-of-purpose-and-imagination-it/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“As with the douchebags of the world, calling an asshole an asshole sometimes is exactly what needs to happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/as-with-the-douchebags-of-the-world-calling-an-asshole-an-asshole/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“But as Stephen Fry has so eloquently noted, all great atrocities and genocides first begin with marginalizing then dehumanizing a specific group of people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/but-as-stephen-fry-has-so-eloquently-noted-all-great-atrocities-and/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [A man who layeth with another man must be stoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/a-man-who-layeth-with-another-man-must-be-stoned/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [Well, the whole history of Star Trek is the market demand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/well-the-whole-history-of-star-trek-is-the-market-demand/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [Today we have the economic collapse that the whole planet is suffering, but there is hope, and that's what's going to keep us moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/today-we-have-the-economic-collapse-that-the-whole-planet-is/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [You know, I grew up in two American internment camps, and at that time I was very young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/you-know-i-grew-up-in-two-american-internment-camps-and-at-that-time/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“I began to wonder, what accounts for our collective affinity for the apocalypse? What is it about “the end” that makes it always seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-began-to-wonder-what-accounts-for-our-collective-affinity-for-the/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“If Grumpy Cat could bring herself to actually support something, it should be a no-brainer for mere humans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/if-grumpy-cat-could-bring-herself-to-actually-support-something-it/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“And anyway, as they will say in the distant future, “Replication is the sincerest form of flattery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/and-anyway-as-they-will-say-in-the-distant-future-replication-is-the/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“I call this phenomenon “hipsterization”—when those who fancy themselves on the cutting edge dismiss the very items they had touted as cool until they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-call-this-phenomenon-hipsterization-when-those-who-fancy-themselves/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“Cultural icons help people define who they are today because they shaped who they were as children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/cultural-icons-help-people-define-who-they-are-today-because-they/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [Do your duty as an American, and as a citizen of the galaxy... Vote!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/do-your-duty-as-an-american-and-as-a-citizen-of-the-galaxy-vote/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“I’ve recently suggested that Betty and I should do a TV series about two seniors living together in an unlikely pairing of a widow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-ve-recently-suggested-that-betty-and-i-should-do-a-tv-series-about/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) [Explore all 115 George Takei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) ## More American democracy quotes > [ Elvis \[Presley\] had a stepstool, if you will, to success because he came from the dominant culture. They identified with him. Michael Jackson had… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/elvis-presley-had-a-stepstool-if-you-will-to-success-because-he-came/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [That's what separates out American democracy from dictators and horrible governments across the world and the reason why that works is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-chamberlain/that-s-what-separates-out-american-democracy-from-dictators-and/) [Charles R. Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-chamberlain/) > [This will be the day when we shall bring into full realization the dream of American democracy -- a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/this-will-be-the-day-when-we-shall-bring-into-full-realization-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [This has all the appearance of a foreign power trying to undermine structures of legitimacy of an American election. That is a serious matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/this-has-all-the-appearance-of-a-foreign-power-trying-to-undermine/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [Men like Abraham Lincoln recognized that if the slaveholders were not stopped, it would only be a question of time until they spread their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/men-like-abraham-lincoln-recognized-that-if-the-slaveholders-were-not/) [Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/) > [These communities that are losing local news coverage are losing something deeper. They're losing a connection to American democracy. And those connections must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/these-communities-that-are-losing-local-news-coverage-are-losing/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [“Today you go into make a modern recording with all this technology. The bass plays first, then the drums come in later, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/today-you-go-into-make-a-modern-recording-with-all-this-technology/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-a-result-of-the-citizens-united-supreme-court-decision-american/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If everyone on the Court always voted for the prosecution against the defendant, for the corporation against the plaintiffs, and for the government against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/if-everyone-on-the-court-always-voted-for-the-prosecution-against-the/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [Political violence has no place in Pennsylvania - the birthplace of American democracy - nor anywhere else across this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-shapiro/political-violence-has-no-place-in-pennsylvania-the-birthplace-of/) [Josh Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-shapiro/) > [The atomic weapons race and the secrecy surrounding it crushed American democracy. It induced us to conduct government according to lies. It distorted justice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-udall/the-atomic-weapons-race-and-the-secrecy-surrounding-it-crushed/) [Stewart Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-udall/) > [I have no doubt that there are Russian efforts to disturb the fabric of American democracy, but they're disruption efforts. They're troublemaking efforts. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/i-have-no-doubt-that-there-are-russian-efforts-to-disturb-the-fabric/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [“Still, it strikes me that, taken together, they do make an argument, and it is this: the rise of American democracy is bound up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/still-it-strikes-me-that-taken-together-they-do-make-an-argument-and/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [Mr Jefferson meant that the American system should be a democracy, and he would rather have let the whole world perish than that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/mr-jefferson-meant-that-the-american-system-should-be-a-democracy-and/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [I have no doubt that there are Russian efforts to disturb the fabric of American democracy, but they're disruption efforts. The working theory behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/i-have-no-doubt-that-there-are-russian-efforts-to-disturb-the-fabric-2/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) [Browse all 168 American democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had a really unusual, remarkably unusual father because he, in our family, was the one that suffered the most. He was the one that explained American democracy to me. He said, ‘Our democracy is a people’s democracy and it can be as great as people can be, and it can be great… but we are also fallible human beings.’", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Takei" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusual-father-because-he-in-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusual-father-because-he-in-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/george-takei-4192_american-democracy_i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusua_2624332.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/george-takei-4192_american-democracy_i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusua_2624332.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/george-takei-4192_american-democracy_i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusua_2624332.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I had a really unusual, remarkably unusual father because he, in our family, was the one that suffered the…” — George Takei", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Takei", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I had a really unusual, remarkably...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusual-father-because-he-in-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-had-a-really-unusual-remarkably-unusual-father-because-he-in-our/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```