All Are Not Equal

I like the line from the Declaration of Independence, "All men are created equal." I try to live by this ideal. I'm two races, black and white, and I consider myself equal to anyone. My parents taught me to be accepting of all people. My mother said, "Treat others as you would have them treat you." I think I do a good job following this and have always believed that if I was compassionate to others I could expect the same in return. My dad always told me that if I respected people they would respect me, but I've realized this is not always true.

I have often gone to a particular restaurant with my mother, who is white. Ninety-five percent of the customers and all the restaurant's employees are white, so I think it is safe to say it is a white restaurant. I always looked forward to going because they have fried fish night every Friday and I love fried fish. I remember the smell of the fish, the live band and the murmur of arcade games in the background. I never stayed at our table for long, since I always asked my mother for a quarter to "play a game, just one." Of cou...