Star Trek's George Takei Cites Houston As One Reason Texas Stereotypes Are True

George Takei, who managed to co-star in a series with William Shatner and survive, was in Dallas over the weekend in support of a Japanese-art exhibit.

Takei has famously become an out gay dude, so naturally enough the blog of our sister paper, the Dallas Observer, took the opportunity to ask him about the idiotic and disastrous raid of a Fort Worth gay bar on the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

"It was obviously some bigoted people twisting the policies to vent their prejudices, their hatred, on the minority," he told Unfair Park. "There are people who will twist and turn legitimate policies to fit their bigotry. For it to occur on the anniversary especially was poignant, powerful and blood-boiling. It's been 40 years, and you'd think ... Well, then again, it's Texas."

Yeah, stereotypes are terrible and should nev -- say what, now?

Unfair Park noted that Takei laughingly acknowledged "the irony of uttering that stereotype mere moments after spending an hour addressing their power and prejudice."

But he offered evidence to back up his assertion, and that evidence was....us.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But Texas has certain stereotypes. But disabuse me of that stereotype if it is a stereotype. ... We all have our prejudices, and when you see stories like that, we can't help but think of redneck Texans. In Houston, they had a big controversy that went on for more than a decade over Jap Road. The Japanese-American community was up in arms over that one."
Yes, it's tough to live that one down. On the other hand, it wasn't in Houston. It was in rural Jefferson County, which isn't exactly the same.

But we guess all Texans look alike to Takei.

On the plus side of the ledger, the road's name was changed to Boondocks Road just about five years ago. On the negative side, locals chose that name over one honoring the Japanese family who inspired the first name.

Most importantly, we guess Takei hasn't heard about Gandhi Avenue.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2009/07/star_treks_george_takei_housto.php