
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 25, 1991                   TAG: 9103250241
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BLACKS IN SERVICE OK, BUT NOT IN RESTAURANT

I RECENTLY invited a friend to a restaurant on Williamson Road that I frequent regularly. She is black, I am white. We had an nice time, and the other customers did not seem to mind that there was a black woman in a predominantly white place.

After my friend left, the owner informed me that my black friend could come in with me, but he did not want her to come in alone or with any of her black friends.

I was shocked and appalled. This man did not seem to mind that a large percentage of blacks fought in the Gulf War, but don't let any of these men and women come into his establishment. How can our country expect to solve world problems when we are too narrow-minded to eliminate our own petty prejudices?

When my son was 2 years old, he asked me why some people are called black. I explained that because of skin color we are called white, Negroes black, Orientals yellow and Indians red. He replied, "Mommy, why can't everybody just be called people?" ANGELA ROWLAND ROANOKE

by CNB