Discrimination. We've all heard the term, in history books, maybe in this weeks Time magazine, maybe just because it's a general term, maybe you heard it just the other day from someone on the news. Or maybe while you're reading this your listening to the radio, the station where they're talking about how the new Arizona SB 1070 is discriminating, maybe your history teacher just said it, or maybe it's a new term to you. Either way, if I asked you could you really tell me right now what the definition of “discrimination” was, most would say yes, most of us have come face to face with discrimination somewhere at some point in time. But, hey, I'm generalizing, stereotyping if you will. So, for those of you who are new to the term. The textbook definition to discrimination is, “the unequal treatment of equals.”

The constitution states that we are all equals, right? Well, discrimination is how people get around this. Whether it be a public facility back in 1940 or maybe even that new immigration law passed in a state you don't live in, or maybe you do. Some say this world is full of discrimination, that all depends on your perspective, as does mostly everything. Discrimination to me, is when you unfairly treat any human being solely because of their physical appearance or there opinions. If you keep someone from entering your store because they have different religious views than you; if you tell your boss to fire someone because they're skin is darker than yours.

The government has, over the years, really slowed and practically ended discrimination. Through laws, enforcement, such as the racial integration of Little Rocky Run Central High, or by simple explanation that it's wrong. But in some ways in the past the government has discriminated against some, examples would be the internment of most Japanese citizens during World War Two. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, you may be thinking well none of these are very recent. But some are suggesting that the recent Arizona SB is discrimination, I really don't, but some do.

Discrimination is a very broad topic, most stay away from it to avoid having conflicting opinions with the person they are discussing it with. But really this topic needs to be discussed because, like we've seen in the past, ignoring it doesn't work. Not talking about, doesn't work, passing law after law, to end it doesn't work; or at least it hasn't yet. So, my question for you is, what is discrimination?