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When I Was a Child

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When I Was a Child
Jose Arras
07/30/2013
Mrs. Cedillos
English 1301

“When I was a Child”

When I was in high school I had the opportunity to travel across the country and to meet people from all over the world. During this time I saw people being rejected services, assistance, and being disrespected because of the color of their skin. I was traveling to Ohio to shoot in a national competition but before getting there we had a three hour delay in Chicago. People from all over the country were walking to get to their destination. We went to a restaurant called “Mighty Pizza” when walking in I notice a sight that says “white’s only”. Not thinking anything of I we walk in start to ask for the special when the manager approaches a friend and I asking us “if we could leave the establishment”. With a weird look in my face not knowing why is asking us to leave. Kevin a friend asked “why are we being forced to leave… did we do something wrong”. The manager turned around pointer at the sign and said” we do not serve your kind”. When I was told this it, came to be shook because I had never seen or heard of racism but in movies. Not only was I in shook but very offended not because he saw the tone of my skin but because I was an American citizen and have the same right that man has. As soon as we left the restaurant we went to let our kernel know what had just happened. Even though morally wrong the restaurant was not doing the right thing they did have the right to deny service to people if they choose to. Because in El Paso most of the population is Hispanic I had never seen or experience racism. So I didn’t know how to react to the situation of being the person targeted. It took African Americans sweet, blood and tear to get there freedom. And just because I was not serve pizza I was going to let it get to me. I finally got to the championship and I was getting ready to shoot when a white male behind me started saying to his team “do you see those Mexicans there here

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