I had never heard of the 442 before. The entire speech is intense.
Japenese Americans joining the army after the atrocities they suffered is an act done to protect their families, stop the hostile treatment they recieve. It's a pretty smart solution too, good for them. It's also related to their cultural codes like honour...etc. There is no way out, nothing. they can't go back, they suffer where they live.
It's not about understanding the ideals and victory of American democracy or heroes. It's survival in real life. Adapting.
These kind of speeches are harmful. It's the same old useless propaganda people are being bombarded all the time. Ideals, democracy, freedom, heroes... nothing about reality.
Bullshit. Politics. Talk.
E: (I like Takei, it is not a personal thing I am expressing.)
Japanese Americans are smart fortune cookies. E Asians in general are. I used to be an honorary Japanese American ... and have studied Japanese culture avidly since I was 10 years old. I knew a Korean Americans in the military recently ... scary good. Confucianism and good breeding over millennia.