Equal Then Separated

“But, all men are created equal Stephanie. Constitution and all”. Roger grinned menacingly.

“Sarcastic much? I don’t think you can rely on the language of the constitution in this day and age.” Stephanie blankly stared at a quotation on the wall. She looked at her phone in dismay and thought that it was still fifteen minutes until their class began.

“I’m sorry if I upset you. If it helps you illustrated my point.” Roger sighed. “I’m sorry for coming across like that.”

“Obnoxious? Look, I don’t mean to be rude but our perfectly normal conversation went way, way out there.” It was obvious that Roger was feeling uncomfortable. Stephanie noticed him shift his weight from one leg to another several times in a couple minutes.

“I am very truly sorry. I’ve just noticed you look at that quote several times. It’s very true even forty years later. Look at it. It’s beautiful:”

“When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

Roger tried not to burst out in laughter saying, “It’s prophetic!”

“It’s a well known fact he was a great leader and non-violent... I didn’t know prophet was on his resume. I’m not sure I see the same “beaut[y]” in it that you do Roger.” Stephanie flipped a piece of her hair up over her ear as a man she found attractive walked by.

“Well doll, This is a history class we’re walking in to. the first part is self explanatory in maintaining non-violence or going to extremes. The second piece takes a bit of let’s say, historical precedence, in the United States. The “Conservative” white men that typically stay in power haven’t exactly been focused on equality now have they?” Stephanie was not any closer to loosening up but at least she wasn’t walking away from Roger. Roger took this opportunity to go for the jugular and really try to push some buttons if possible.

“May I ask what religion you are Stephanie?”

She replied as most do. “Umm... Christian.”

“Well typically the “conservative” are right-wing Christians who have been making the laws in this country since day one. I view this as to say that “when you are wrong, you cannot” fall back on your ignorance which indeed what Martin Luther King Jr. was fighting.”

“Ignorance?! What the..” Stephanie walked off and Roger put his headphones on turning up the volume. Roger scribbled a note down in his notebook for Political Science to ask his teacher.

“Why don’t Minorities just simply vote the white Protestants out of power? They’re hardly the minority any longer. The right-wing and those in power have certainly given the United States Citizens equality. That is... we’re all funding the war machine while being monitored for “terrorist activities” more and more heavily.”