When someone does something wrong, the first thing that sticks out to a bystander is just that. Unfortunately, society can be so stuck on a characteristic that a few individuals have in common that stereotypes occur.

There are times when these stereotypes are completely similar to an individual; however, this is no justification for a judgment based on that stereotype.

Saturday, I was walking into a convenience store in my hometown. It was near a high school, so teenagers frequent it. I walked in with a drawstring bag that I was using as a purse at the time, and as I was walking in through the door toward the first aisle, the lady at the cash register yelled out to me. She said I had to leave my bag at the door. I paused and looked at her oddly. During this time, a middle-aged woman walked in with a diaper bag that was three times the size of my bag.

When I asked why I had to leave my bag at the door, the woman said it’s policy. I pointed out the diaper bag and the woman at the cash register said it didn’t matter, that lady was an adult.

I left my bag, but I was appalled as I did it. I’ll never go back into that store.

Based on my age alone, I was discriminated against. There is no justification for this.

It is as equally ridiculous to not trust any individual around the age of 60 because of this one incident as it would be to not trust teenagers because of one stealing kid.

Maybe someone my age has shoplifted from that store, but that does not mean all teenagers will steal.

I’ve seen high schoolers go to a retirement home out of their own choice just to visit residents, truly out of the goodness of their hearts. I know 17-years-olds in the service who are willing to sacrifice all they have for our country, and yet those teenagers can’t even walk into a convenience store without gaining some kind of suspicion.

The characteristic does not make the person, does not create the character, and no one should be judged based on one trait alone.

Individuals make mistakes. No one else besides that individual should be persecuted because of that choice. There are always a few bad apples in a batch. That doesn’t mean you throw them all out; you never know how good the other apples are until you look.